Magnetic pulses to the spine may help Parkinson's patients walk better

NCT ID NCT05008289

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: University of Sao Paulo General Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This completed phase 2 trial tested whether a non-invasive magnetic coil placed on the upper back could improve walking in 42 Parkinson's patients who already have deep brain stimulation but still have gait problems. Participants received either active or placebo stimulation in a double-blind design. The main goal was to see if gait speed changed right after stimulation, with secondary measures including freezing episodes and quality of life.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: magnetic transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (device)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a non-invasive way to improve walking problems in Parkinson's patients who already have deep brain stimulation but still struggle with gait.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial (42 participants) testing only short-term effects. The results may not apply to all Parkinson's patients, and the benefit might be modest or not last.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Parkinson disease

As listed by the trial registrant

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

PARKINSON DISEASE

Contacts and locations

Locations

University of Sao Paulo

São Paulo, São Paulo, 01246-000, Brazil

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