Status:
RECRUITING
Non-invasive Brain Stimulation to Improve Unsteady Gait in Older Adults (StimGait)
Lead Sponsor:
Hebrew SeniorLife
Collaborating Sponsors:
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Conditions:
Fall
Gait, Unsteady
Eligibility:
All Genders
65+ years
Phase:
NA
Brief Summary
Walking is a complex and continuous task that entails repetitive motions of the body. Relatively high gait variability sensitively predicts falls and cognitive decline in older adults. Previous work h...
Detailed Description
This is a randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of a non-invasive brain stimulation intervention of tDCS to improve unsteady gait in older adults. The investigators will enroll 30 older ...
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion
- Aged 65 and above.
- Ability to speak and read English.
- Ability to walk independently and continuously for at least 1 minute.
- Elevated gait variability as defined by a coefficient of variation (CoV) about average stride time larger and equal to 0.025 during straight-line walking at preferred speed.
Exclusion
- More than mild cognitive impairment defined by a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score less than 18.
- Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, active brain tumor, or other neurological disorders.
- Self-reported pain or lower extremity deformity that significantly disrupts walking.
- Contraindications to MRI or tDCS.
- An episode of acute illness or exacerbation of a diagnosis that requires hospitalization or active treatment within the past 3 months.
- Current treatment for congestive heart failure, angina, uncontrolled arrythmia, deep vein thrombosis, or other uncontrolled cardiovascular events.
- Myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting, angioplasty, or other cardiac conditions within the past 3 months,
- Active cancer for which chemo/radiation therapy is being received.
- Psychiatric co-morbidity including major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, or other psychiatric illness.
- Recent use of any sedating medications (sedatives, anti-psychotics, hypnotics, anti-depressants) or change in medication within the previous month.
- Chronic vertigo or other diagnosed vestibular disorders.
- Legal blindness, visual impairments that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery.
- Those without WiFi access
- Those who do not plan to live in their current homes for the duration of the study
Key Trial Info
Start Date :
June 3 2024
Trial Type :
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation :
ESTIMATED
End Date :
December 31 2025
Estimated Enrollment :
30 Patients enrolled
Trial Details
Trial ID
NCT06008431
Start Date
June 3 2024
End Date
December 31 2025
Last Update
June 18 2025
Active Locations (1)
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1
Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02131