---
title: Increase walking endurance through exercise
nct_id: NCT06088355
phase: NA
status: RECRUITING
sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT06088355"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06088355"
last_fetched: "2026-05-10T14:02:39.716Z"
source: "Parkinson's Pathways (curated)"
---
# Increase walking endurance through exercise

**Goal (in five words):** Increase walking endurance through exercise

**Official Title:** Moderate Versus High Volume Light-Moderate Intensity Exercise for People With Moderate Parkinson's Disease

**Trial ID:** [NCT06088355](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06088355)

## Key Facts

- **Phase:** NA
- **Status:** RECRUITING
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Sponsor:** VA Office of Research and Development
- **Target Enrollment:** 123 participants
- **Start Date:** 2025-01-25
- **Completion Date:** 2028-01-29
- **Conditions:** Parkinson Disease, Movement Disorders, Neurodegeneration
- **Interventions:** HV-PDAE: High Volume Partnered Dance Aerobic Exercise, MV-PDAE: Moderate Volume Partnered Dance Aerobic Exercise, MV-WALK: Moderate Volume Walking
- **Intervention Types:** BEHAVIORAL

## Summary For Families

The goal is to see whether higher versus moderate amounts of light-to-moderate aerobic exercise can improve walking, balance, and overall motor symptoms in people with moderate Parkinson's. Participants are randomized to high-volume partnered dance aerobic exercise, moderate-volume partnered dance, or moderate-volume walking; these programs use rhythmic, repetitive movement to raise heart rate, boost cardiovascular fitness, improve gait and balance, and may promote neuroplasticity that helps motor control. Assessments are done while people are OFF their antiparkinsonian medications to avoid dyskinesia and medication-related fluctuations, so exercise effects are measured independently; exercise does not replace levodopa but could complement its benefits. The study seeks adults 40 and older with definite Parkinson's in Hoehn and Yahr stages 2 to 3, a MoCA score above 17, the ability to walk at least 10 feet, and clear benefit from PD meds, and it excludes those with serious heart disease, recent stroke or brain injury, untreated major psychiatric illness, heavy alcohol or antipsychotic use, or other conditions that make exercise unsafe.

## Eligibility

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

### Full Criteria

```
Inclusion Criteria:

Participants recruited for this study will be age 40 and older with diagnosis of "definite" PD based upon established criteria (Hughes, Daniel et al. 1992) and determined by a board-certified neurologist with specialty training in movement disorders. Individuals must have presented with asymmetric symptoms that included at least 3 of the cardinal signs of PD (rigidity, bradykinesia, tremor, postural instability), and must show clear symptomatic benefit (e.g., alleviated rigidity, bradykinesia, and tremor) from antiparkinsonian medications, e.g., levodopa (Kempster, Williams et al. 2007). They should be in H\&Y stages 2, 2.5 and 3, and receive a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score \>17 (Litvan, Goldman et al. 2012). Age 40 is the upper limit for young onset PD. We will not recruit individuals with a history of significant alcohol or drug use, nor habitual users of antipsychotics. We will observe patients while OFF their antiparkinsonian medications to avoid dyskinesia, and medication fluctuations that may impact neurophysiology and motor examination. We have successfully observed patients while OFF in several previous trials. The following inclusion criteria apply:

* MoCA score \>17
* Able to walk with or without an assistive device at least 10 feet
* Best corrected/aided acuity better than 20/70 in the better eye
* Willingness to be randomized to a treatment group
* H\&Y stages 2, 2.5 and 3
* Show clear symptomatic benefit (e.g., alleviated rigidity, bradykinesia, and tremor) from antiparkinsonian medications
* Fluent in English to be able to comprehend and participate; older than 40 years; Diagnosis of definite Parkinson's disease by board certified Movement Disorders Neurologist, using standardized UK Brain Bank criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

Participants recruited for this study will be age 40 and older with diagnosis of "definite" PD based upon established criteria (Hughes, Daniel et al. 1992) and determined by a board-certified neurologist with specialty training in movement disorders. Individuals must have presented with asymmetric symptoms that included at least 3 of the cardinal signs of PD (rigidity, bradykinesia, tremor, postural instability), and must show clear symptomatic benefit (e.g., alleviated rigidity, bradykinesia, and tremor) from antiparkinsonian medications, e.g., levodopa (Kempster, Williams et al. 2007). They should be in H\&Y stages 2, 2.5 and 3, and receive a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score \>17 (Litvan, Goldman et al. 2012). Age 40 is the upper limit for young onset PD. We will not recruit individuals with a history of significant alcohol or drug use, nor habitual users of antipsychotics. The following exclusion criteria apply:

* Untreated Major Depression and major psychiatric illness
* History of stroke, or traumatic brain injury
* Pure-tone threshold average sensitivity at 0.5, 1.0,and 2.0 kHz exceeds 40 dB
* Alcohol abuse and/or use of antipsychotics
* Planning to leave the area for \>1 month during the study time period.
* Taking moderate to high doses of beta-blockers with a resting heart rate below 60 beats/min given that exercise intensity is measured through target heart rate.
* Severe cardiac disease, including NYHA Class III or IV congestive heart failure, clinically significant aortic stenosis, history of cardiac arrest, use of a cardiac defibrillator, or uncontrolled angina
* Other significant co-morbid disease that would impair ability to participate in the exercise-based intervention, e.g. renal failure on hemodialysis, excessive alcohol use (\>14 drinks per wk)
```

## Locations (1)

- Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur, GA, Decatur, Georgia, United States _(33.7748, -84.2963)_
  - Lisa Calas — (CONTACT) — 404-321-6111 — lisa.calas@va.gov
  - Erica W Watkins, BA — (CONTACT) — (404) 321-6111 — erica.watkins@va.gov
  - Madeleine E. Hackney, PhD — (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

## Central Contacts

- Madeleine E Hackney, PhD — (CONTACT) — (404) 321-6111 — mehackn@emory.edu
- Joe R Nocera, PhD — (CONTACT) — (404) 321-6111 — joenocera@emory.edu

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT06088355*  
*HTML version: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT06088355*  
*Source data: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06088355*