How Blood Pressure Affects Thinking and Brain Blood Flow in Parkinsons Disease Using Wearable Technology for Real-Time Monitoring

What this Trial Is About

Parkinsons disease PD is a common neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement and thinking. This research aims to understand how blood pressure BP, especially low BP when standing called orthostatic hypotension OH, affects brain function and thinking in people with PD. The study compares people with PD who have OH to those who do not, using innovative wearable technology to continuously measure BP and brain blood flow during cognitive tests. Participants will undergo cognitive testing while lying down and while upright on a tilt table. The study uses a continuous non-invasive BP monitor worn on the wrist and a functional near-infrared spectroscopy fNIRS cap to measure brain blood flow. Testing sessions alternate positions and are randomized in order. Baseline and screening visits include multiple assessments, including a tilt table test to confirm OH, questionnaires, physical exams, and cognitive evaluations. Participants will be monitored closely during cognitive tasks that last about 1 hour and 20 minutes total. BP and brain oxygenation changes are recorded continuously and synchronized with cognitive testing. The study measures thinking ability using the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Verbal Fluency Test and tracks changes in brain oxygen levels. The total participation involves a screening visit and a baseline study visit, each lasting about 3 hours.

Blood Pressure Effects on Cognition and Brain Blood Flow in PD