---
title: Improve walking balance with neurofeedback
nct_id: NCT05800470
phase: NA
status: RECRUITING
sponsor: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT05800470"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05800470"
last_fetched: "2026-05-10T14:04:03.016Z"
source: "Parkinson's Pathways (curated)"
---
# Improve walking balance with neurofeedback

**Goal (in five words):** Improve walking balance with neurofeedback

**Official Title:** The Novel Application of fNIRS-based Neurofeedback to Enhance Effects of Motor Imagery on Balance and Gait Performance in Individuals With Parkinson's Disease

**Trial ID:** [NCT05800470](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05800470)

## Key Facts

- **Phase:** NA
- **Status:** RECRUITING
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Sponsor:** National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
- **Target Enrollment:** 93 participants
- **Start Date:** 2025-03-19
- **Completion Date:** 2025-08-01
- **Conditions:** Parkinson Disease, Movement Disorder, Functional
- **Interventions:** fNIRS-based neurofeedback with motor imagery, Kinesthetic motor imagery, Motor training
- **Intervention Types:** OTHER

## Summary For Families

The trial aims to make motor imagery training more effective for improving balance and walking in people with Parkinson's, so mental practice leads to clearer, safer movement in daily life. Participants do kinesthetic motor imagery while wearing an fNIRS cap that measures blood oxygen changes in motor brain areas and gives real-time feedback, teaching you to activate the right regions more reliably; it is a non-drug, add-on training that works alongside your usual Parkinson's medications. They are looking for people age 40 to 85 with idiopathic Parkinson's, Hoehn and Yahr stage under 4, who can walk independently for about 10 minutes, have no major cognitive impairment (MMSE 24 or higher) and have adequate motor imagery ability, and who do not have brain implants, epilepsy, other serious neurological or psychiatric conditions, or non-PD central nervous system medications. If this sounds interesting, bring it up with your neurologist to see if it might fit your care plan.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 40 Years
- **Maximum age:** 85 Years
- **Sex:** ALL

### Full Criteria

```
Part 1

Additional Inclusion Criteria for PD:

1. diagnosis of idiopathic PD by neurologist with Hoehn and Yahr stage \< 4;
2. stable medical condition;
3. capability of walking independently without walking devices.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. cognitive impairment indicated by MMSE score \< 24;
2. motor imagery ability indicated by KVIQ score \< 25;
3. unable recognize 26 letters in the English alphabet
4. history of diseases or conditions known to interfere with participating this study (e.g. epilepsy, metal implants in the brain, or deep brain stimulation);
5. diagnosis of any other neurological disease or psychiatric disorder (e.g. stroke, anxiety disorder, or depression);
6. using central nervous system medications other than for PD, e.g. antiepileptic drugs in recent 3 months.

Part 2

Inclusion Criteria:

1. aged 40-85 y/o;
2. diagnosis of idiopathic PD by neurologist with Hoehn and Yahr stage \< 4;
3. stable medical condition;
4. capability of walking independently for 10 minutes, which is the time needed for imagery walking training in order to eliminate the possible influence of physical fatigue.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. cognitive impairment indicated by MMSE score \< 24;
2. history of diseases or conditions known to interfere with participating this study (e.g. epilepsy, metal implants in the brain, or deep brain stimulation);
3. diagnosis of any other neurological disease or psychiatric disorder (e.g. stroke, anxiety disorder, or depression);
4. using central nervous system medications other than for PD, e.g. antiepileptic drugs in recent 3 months.
```

## Locations (1)

- National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, None Selected, Taiwan _(25.0531, 121.5264)_
  - Ray-Yau Wang, Ph.D — (CONTACT) — 88628267210 — rywang@nycu.edu.tw
  - Ray-Yau Wang, Ph.D — (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

## Central Contacts

- Ray-Yau Wang — (CONTACT) — +88628267210 — rywang@nycu.edu.tw

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT05800470*  
*HTML version: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT05800470*  
*Source data: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05800470*