Could cooking and gardening boost brain health in Parkinson's? a new trial puts it to the test.
NCT ID NCT07630194
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This trial investigates whether doing enjoyable, meaningful activities—like cooking, gardening, or painting—can improve thinking skills and daily function in older adults with Parkinson's disease who have mild to moderate memory or thinking problems. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups: cognitive stimulation with motivational feedback, cognitive stimulation without feedback, or standard occupational therapy. The study aims to see if adding motivational feedback makes the activities more effective for brain health 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
- enjoyable occupation-based cognitive stimulation with or without motivational feedback
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this approach could offer a drug-free way to help people with Parkinson's maintain thinking skills and daily function through engaging activities.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial (71 people) testing a behavioral intervention, so results may not apply broadly. The benefit may be modest or not last beyond the study period.
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
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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
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About 90 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Jul 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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: * (a) have idiopathic PD diagnosed according to the UK Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank criteria; (b) have no history of impulsive-compulsive disorders, confirmed through neurologist-led clinical interviews; (c) are classified as Hoehn and Yahr stages I-IV; (d) are aged 60-80 years; (e) demonstrate mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment, defined as a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score of 21-25; and (f) are able to complete self-report measures. Exclusion Criteria: * atypical parkinsonian syndromes, coexisting neurological disorders (e.g., stroke, other neurodegenerative diseases), and young-onset PD
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.