---
title: Reduce slowness stiffness and tremor
nct_id: NCT05268887
phase: NA
status: RECRUITING
sponsor: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT05268887"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05268887"
last_fetched: "2026-05-10T14:04:44.016Z"
source: "Parkinson's Pathways (curated)"
---
# Reduce slowness stiffness and tremor

**Goal (in five words):** Reduce slowness stiffness and tremor

**Official Title:** Acute Treatment of Parkinson's Disease With Gamma Frequency Stimulation

**Trial ID:** [NCT05268887](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05268887)

## Key Facts

- **Phase:** NA
- **Status:** RECRUITING
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Sponsor:** Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- **Target Enrollment:** 40 participants
- **Start Date:** 2022-02-09
- **Completion Date:** 2027-11-01
- **Conditions:** Parkinson Disease
- **Interventions:** GENUS device (Active Settings), GENUS device (Sham settings)
- **Intervention Types:** DEVICE

## Summary For Families

It aims to see whether a short session of gamma-frequency brain stimulation can quickly ease motor symptoms like slowness, stiffness, or tremor in people with mid-stage Parkinson's. The approach uses MIT's GENUS device to deliver noninvasive ~40 Hz sensory stimulation that tries to entrain brain rhythms and modulate motor circuits, participants get either active or sham settings so effects can be compared, and everyone stays on their usual antiparkinsonian medicines at a stable dose so the device is tested as an add-on. They are looking for people aged 45 to 90 with idiopathic PD at Hoehn and Yahr stage 2 to 3, MoCA score ≥26, on stable Parkinson's meds for at least a month, and without seizures, migraines, dementia, certain implants, or major psychiatric or other neurological conditions.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 45 Years
- **Maximum age:** 90 Years
- **Sex:** ALL

### Full Criteria

```
Inclusion Criteria:

* Subject has Idiopathic PD defined by the cardinal sign, bradykinesia, plus the presence of at least 1 of the following: resting tremor or rigidity and without any other known or suspected cause of Parkinsonism (according to Movement disorder society (MDS) clinical diagnostic criteria for Parkinson's disease confirmed by a fellowship trained movements disorder specialist
* Subject is Hoehn \& Yahr stage 2 to 3
* Subject has a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) score ≥26.
* Subject is \> 45 and \<90 years of age.
* proficient in speaking, reading, and understanding English
* capable of providing informed written consent
* Subject is on a stable dose (at least 1 month prior to baseline visit) of antiparkinsonian agents and willing to remain on this dose for the duration of the study. If on a cholinesterase inhibitor, a stable dose without changes for 1 month is required.
* Subject has undergone a brain CT or MRI prior to rule out underlying structural lesions

Exclusion criteria:

* Subject has atypical Parkinson's syndrome(s) due to drugs, metabolic neurogenetic disorders (e.g., Wilson's Disease), encephalitis, cerebrovascular disease, or degenerative disease (e.g., Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Multiple System Atrophy, Corticobasal Degeneration, Lewy Body dementia)
* history of any psychiatric illness that would pose a safety risk
* diagnosis of dementia or other neurological conditions
* currently taking sedative medications that are clinically contraindicated
* has undergone recent change (\<1 month) in medication
* recent drug or alcohol abuse or dependence
* laboratory results the would pose safety risk
* concurrently or has participated in other clinical trial investigation within 3 months
* pregnant
* no healthcare
* history of epilepsy, stroke, or seizure in past 24 months
* diagnosis of migraines
* have certain implantable medical devices
* contraindications for MRI
* life expectancy of less than 2 years
```

## Locations (1)

- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States _(42.3751, -71.1056)_
  - Ana Trisini Lipsanopoulos, BS — (CONTACT) — 617-258-7723 — anat13@mit.edu
  - Li-Huei Tsai, PhD — (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)
  - Ute Geigenmuller, PhD — (SUB_INVESTIGATOR)
  - Ana Trisini Lipsanopoulos, BS — (SUB_INVESTIGATOR)

## Central Contacts

- gamma wave — (CONTACT) — 617-258-7723 — gamma.wave@mit.edu
- Ana Trisini Lipsanopoulos, BS — (CONTACT) — 617-258-7723 — anat13@mit.edu

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT05268887*  
*HTML version: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT05268887*  
*Source data: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05268887*