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Investigators: Eric E. Sabelman, PhD and Jonathan Katz, MD Project Staff: Betty S. Troy, MS; Deborah E. Kenney, MS OTR; Douglas F. Schwandt, MS; Melinda Piper, MPT; Thomas Reiss, DPM; S.J. Weghorst, PhD; James Tetrud, MD; William J. Marks, MD; and Marsha Melnick, PhD, PT Project Category: Other - 2000 Objective: In a series of Merit Review projects, we have created a Wearable Accelerometric Motion Analysis System ("WAMAS") able to quantify hitherto qualitative measures of human movement, with the goal of promoting independence and reducing risk of falls. In this proposal, we will use this instrument for correction of mobility impairments common to Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. We will measure motion patterns of individual PD patients performing tasks typical of activities of daily living, identify a customized combination of visual, auditory and/or tactile cues for informing the patient when his/her motion pattern deviates from the intended trajectory, conduct training sessions using real-time analysis of body acceleration to generate stimuli to promote successful completion of the task (i.e.: "unlock" freezing episodes), and finally, re-test subjects to determine residual effects of training. For example, we will attempt to correct abnormal gait cadence by flashing lights on the sides of eyeglass frames next to the accelerometer assemblies; with the WAMAS, flash frequency can be proportional to the wearer's stride and vary on left and right sides if the wearer attempts to turn a corner, unlike fixed-frequency visual stimulation. We hypothesize that synchronizing the frequency of stimuli with the motion pattern will improve function compared to random or unsynchronized stimuli. The subject population will include PD patients of varying degrees of severity, with and without medication (e.g.: L-DOPA), and pre- and post-surgery (e.g.: pallidotomy), as well as age- and gender-matched controls. Research Plan:
Funding Source: VA RR&D Merit Review Funding Status: In Review |