Could a spin class recharge the Parkinson's brain?

NCT ID NCT04426786

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing This study
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 02, 2026 · Last updated Sep 03, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study asks whether exercise can improve how the brain produces and uses energy in people with Parkinson's disease. Researchers will scan participants' brains before and after a six-month program of supervised aerobic cycling, comparing them to a group doing stretching or yoga. They will also scan healthy volunteers to see how brain energy use differs. The goal is to learn whether exercise might help counter the energy problems seen in Parkinson's.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Supervised aerobic exercise on cycle ergometers, three times weekly for six months, compared with passive stretching or yoga
What this could lead to
If exercise improves brain energy use in Parkinson's, it could support exercise as a way to slow disease progression or guide future therapies.
What could go wrong
This is a small early study with 40 participants, and it measures brain scans rather than symptoms, so any benefit to daily life remains uncertain.

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

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 40 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Jan 2021

Expected to finish

Dec 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

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

40 to 80 years

Sex

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

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Idiopathic PD according to UK Brain Bank criteria (modified to permit inclusion of subjects with a family history) 2. Mild to moderate Parkinsonism (Hoehn \& Yahr stages I-III) 3. Currently exercise less than 120 minutes per week (PD non-exercisers) General exclusion criteria: 1. atypical Parkinson syndrome (progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple system atrophy, drug-induced etc.); 2. significant osteoporosis or arthritis; 3. history of cancer within 5 years of study participation; 4. high dose of radiation from other procedures within the year; 5. not able to tolerate being off PD medication for up to 24 hours; 6. a female subject who is breast-feeding or pregnant; 7. current or past substance use problems; 8. serious head injury with loss of consciousness for ≥ 5 minutes; 9. people with other chronic diseases such as diabetes, kidney problems, high blood pressure, other known neurological disorders, or heart diseases; 10. people who report having a significant respiratory disorder (e.g. asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)) or using home oxygen will be excluded to avoid discomfort or breathing difficulties from respiratory manipulations. 11. current or past neurological disorder (e.g. strokes, seizures, neurodegenerative disease other than Parkinson's disease); 12. current or past psychiatric disorders (e.g. depression, anxiety disorders); 13. severe claustrophobia (a fear of closed in spaces); 14. weight of more than 158kg (347 lbs); 15. inability to lay still for up to 90 minutes; 16. are not medically cleared to exercise; 17. certain medications or conditions may impact participant's ability to participate and these will be discussed on a case by case basis with the participant and the study team. MRI-specific exclusion criteria: 1. Machinist or metalworkers; 2. cardiac pacemakers, wires, or defibrillator; 3. past injury where a piece of metal lodged in your eye or orbit; 4. ferromagnetic aneurysm clip; 5. artificial heart valve; 6. electrical stimulator for nerves or bones; 7. ear or eye implant; 8. implanted drug infusion pump; 9. coil, catheter, or filter in any blood vessel; 10. orthopedic hardware (artificial joint, plate, screws); 11. other metallic prostheses; 12. shrapnel, bullets, or other metal fragments; 13. dentures, braces, or retainer; 14. surgery (brain or otherwise), tattoos, or injection into a joint in the last 6 weeks; 15. pierced body parts (other than earrings) or tattooed eyeliner; 16. non-MRI safe intrauterine device (IUD). Subjects may be excluded following study enrollment if they meet any of the following exclusion criteria: 1. significant cognitive impairment or depression; 2. significant or unstable cardiovascular or respiratory disease - all subjects will undergo a screening aerobic exercise test; 3. failure to comply with the exercise intervention program by not completing at least 60 of the 72 exercise classes.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Motor Activity Parkinson disease

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre

    Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 2B5, Canada

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