Brain chemical dopamine may hold key to preventing falls in seniors
NCT ID NCT06587217
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This completed study looked at whether the brain chemical dopamine helps older adults maintain fast walking speed despite age-related changes. Five participants aged 60 and older with mild parkinsonian signs took carbidopa and carbidopa-levodopa for 10 days. Researchers measured walking speed using sensors to see if boosting dopamine improves mobility.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Carbidopa and carbidopa-levodopa (Sinemet)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a treatment to improve walking and reduce fall risk in older adults with mild parkinsonian signs.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early-phase study with only 5 participants, so results may not apply to the general population. The drugs used can cause side effects like nausea or dizziness.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
-
5 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Oct 2024
- Finished
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Apr 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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60 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 60 or older (M/F) * Evidence of mild parkinsonian signs (incl. slow gait (\<1m/s)) Exclusion Criteria: * Evidence of prior established diagnosis and/or treatment for PD. * Presence of clinically significant degenerative joint disease and/or neuropathy interfering with proper assessment of the motor exam. * Presence of significant dementia. * History of stroke with residual clinical deficit interfering with walking. * For optional MR imaging only: Participants in whom magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is contraindicated including, but not limited to, those with a pacemaker, presence of metallic fragments near the eyes or spinal cord, or cochlear implant. * For optional brain imaging only: Severe claustrophobia precluding neuroimaging procedures. * Participants that have been on monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) within 2 weeks prior to starting study. * Inability to stand or walk without an assistive device * Hypersensitivity to the carbidopa, levodopa, and tablet components. * History of myocardial infarction (MI) with residual arterial, nodal or ventricular arrhythmia * History of peptic ulcer * Chronic wide angle glaucoma * Narrow angle glaucoma * Major psychotic disorder * Severe cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, renal, hepatic or endocrine disease * Subjects on dopamine D2 receptor antagonists, dopamine depleting agents, and metoclopramide. * Any other medical history determined by investigators to preclude safe participation.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Domino's Farms
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48105, United States
-
University Hospital
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, United States