Brain zaps may help Parkinson's patients walk better
NCT ID NCT07190235
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can improve walking in people with Parkinson's disease. 81 participants with mild to moderate Parkinson's who have trouble starting to walk will receive 10 sessions over 2 weeks. The researchers will measure changes in balance and walking speed to see if the treatment helps.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a non-invasive way to improve walking and reduce freezing episodes in people with Parkinson's disease.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial testing a device, not a drug. The effect may be small or temporary, and not all participants may benefit. There is also a risk of discomfort or headache from the stimulation.
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 81 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Jan 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Apr 2027
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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18 to 89 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: 1. diagnosed with PD according to thecriteria set by Movement Disorder Committee, 2. with Hoehn and Yahr stages II-III, which are recognized as representing mild to moderate disease severity, 3. have self-reported difficulty in gait initiation, assessed by item 5 of the freezing of gait questionnaire (FOGQ), 4. have used a dopaminergic medication dose in the last month, 5. a minimum score of 23 of 30 points on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Exclusion Criteria: 1. patients with unstable medical conditions, 2. unable to provide informed consent, 3. other neurological conditions including stroke, 4. contraindications for TMS, 5. experienced deep brain stimulation treatment, 6. no recordable motor evoked potentials (MEPs) with TMS.
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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 places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Kowloon, 000000, Hong Kong
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