Attention and Eye Movement in Parkinson's Disease (NCT06899022) | Clinical Trial Compass
RecruitingNot Applicable
Attention and Eye Movement in Parkinson's Disease
United States138 participantsStarted 2025-09-22
Plain-language summary
The goal of this observational and interventional study is to understand how therapeutic deep brain stimulation (DBS) affects attention, perception and cognition in participants with Parkinson's disease (PD) and non-PD movement disorders, including essential tremor (ET) and dystonia (DT). The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Does impaired control of attention and eye movement in PD alter how social cues are perceived and interpreted?
* Does therapeutic DBS improve or worsen attentional and perceptual deficits for social cues in PD, ET and DT?
* Can DBS be optimized to restore normal attentional control in PD while remaining an effective therapy for other aspects of the disorder.
* What do parts of the brain targeted by DBS contribute to the control of attention?
Using an eye tracking camera, investigators will study how participants with PD, ET and DT look at and perceive facial expressions of emotion before and after starting DBS therapy, in comparison to a group of healthy participants without ET, PD, DT or DBS. Participants with PD, ET and DT will see and rate morphed facial expressions on a computer screen in three conditions:
* Before starting DBS therapy (over approximately 1 hour).
* In the operating room, during the standard procedure to implant DBS electrodes, while the participant is awake (for no more than 15 minutes).
* After starting DBS therapy, with brief experimental changes of DBS stimulation level and frequency (over approximately 1 hour).
Who can participate
Age range
19 Years – 90 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria
* All Participants (Aim 1):
* Ability and willingness to provide signed informed consent for this study
* Ability to express perceptual judgments through a button press or mouse- controlled computerized slider
* Age 19 - 90 years
* DBS Participants (Aim 1):
* Diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD), essential tremor (ET) or dystonia (DT).
* Scheduled for new implantation of a therapeutic DBS device targeted to subthalamic nucleus (STN), ventral intermediate nucleus of thalamus (VIM) or internal globus pallidus (GPi)
* Comparison Participants (Aim 1):
o Selection by age matching to participants in PD group
* Parkinson's disease (PD), essential tremor (ET) and dystonia (DT) Participants (Aim 2):
* Ability and willingness to provide signed informed consent for this study
* Ability to express perceptual judgments through a button press or mouse- controlled computerized slider
* Age 19 - 90 years
* Scheduled for awake DBS implantation with clinical micro-electrode recordings (MER)
* Willing and able to engage in tasks during an awake surgical procedure
* Parkinson's disease (PD), essential tremor (ET) and dystonia (DT) Participants (Aim 3):
* Ability and willingness to provide signed informed consent for this study
* Ability to express perceptual judgments through a button press or mouse- controlled computerized slider
* Age 19 - 90 years
* Willing to undergo acute manipulations of DBS
* Able to tolerate acute chang…
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1This trial is measuring eye tracking and facial expressions in people with Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia — can you help me understand what researchers are hoping to learn from those measurements, and whether that kind of data collection would be relevant to my specific diagnosis?
2The trial involves intraoperative microrecordings, which suggests it may be connected to a surgical procedure like deep brain stimulation — does participating in this study mean I would need to undergo or already be scheduled for brain surgery, and how does that affect whether this might be appropriate for me?
3Since this trial is listed as Phase NA, meaning it appears to be an observational or measurement-focused study rather than a treatment trial, does that mean there's no experimental therapy involved, and what would I actually be asked to do if I participated?
4Given that this study is actively recruiting, are there specific eligibility criteria related to my stage of Parkinson's disease or current medications that my care team would need to review before I could even be considered?
5Would joining this study in any way affect my current treatment plan or timeline for other therapies we've discussed, and is there a reason you'd recommend or advise against it given where I am in my care right now?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Facial Expression Rating
Timeframe: Baseline (within 2 weeks pre-DBS implantation), intraoperative (Day 0; day of DBS implantation surgery, and post-operative follow-up (2-3 weeks after DBS implantation, following clinical optimization of stimulation parameters).
2
Eye Tracking
Timeframe: Baseline (within 2 weeks pre-DBS implantation), intraoperative (Day 0; day of DBS implantation surgery, and post-operative follow-up (2-3 weeks after DBS implantation, following clinical optimization of stimulation parameters).
3
Intraoperative Microrecordings
Timeframe: Intraoperative (Day 0; day of DBS implantation surgery).