Parkinson's rehab: could a VR treadmill reshape your gut health?

NCT ID NCT07434089

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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

Summary

This study looks at how different types of treadmill training affect the gut bacteria and symptoms of people with Parkinson's disease. Sixty participants will be split into three groups: one doing standard physiotherapy, one using a C-Mill treadmill, and one using the C-Mill with virtual reality. Researchers will check gut bacteria, blood markers, and movement abilities before, right after, and three months after the 21-day training program.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: C-Mill treadmill with or without semi-immersive virtual reality
What this could lead to: If successful, this could show that specific treadmill training improves gut health and motor function in Parkinson's disease, pointing toward new rehabilitation strategies.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-stage study (60 people) focused on measuring changes, not proving a treatment works. Results may not apply to all Parkinson's patients, and the effect on gut bacteria may be minimal or temporary.

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 60 people

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

Started

Oct 2025

Expected to finish

Oct 2028

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 70 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: * Diagnosis of PD according to the Movement Disorder Society Clinical * Diagnostic Criteria for Parkinson's Disease * Age comprised between 40 to 70 years * Patients with moderate to advanced disease (2 ≤ Hoehn and Yahr classification grade ≤ 4) * Individuals able to walk independently (FAC \> 2) Exclusion Criteria: * PD patients with (1) weight \> 135 kg and Height \> 200 cm * Open lesions or bandages whether in contact with the harness of C-Mill strumentation * chronic gastro-intestinal (GI) disease including malabsorption; * clinical history of gastric lesions, gastro-resection or major intestinal surgery; * systemic and/or neurologic infectious, inflammatory, or autoimmune diseases of gastro-intestinal (GI) eg. Chron disease; * Acute GI phlogosis or GI disease in the last 4 weeks before recruitment; * Use of domperidone, or any drug potentially affecting gastrointestinal motility and integrity; * Use, in the last 4 weeks preceding the recruitment and until t2, of pre-probiotics or therapy based upon steroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics or antifungals; * anamnesis suggestive of GI cancer pathology.

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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

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

The places running it

1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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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Parkinson's rehab: could a VR treadmill reshape your gut health?

What the study statuses mean