Red Light for Parkinson's (NCT06916260)
Improve walking with red light
- Trial ID
- NCT06916260
- Official Title
- Light Therapy Intervention in Individuals With Parkinson's Disease
- Goal
- Improve walking with red light
- Phase
- NA
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sponsor
- University of Delaware
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Enrollment
- 20 participants
- Conditions
- Parkinson Disease
- Interventions
- Red Light (PDT), Placebo
Summary For Families
The goal is to see whether repeated red light therapy can improve motor symptoms, walking endurance, and related problems in people with Parkinson's by helping brain and muscle cells work better. The approach uses low-level red light phototherapy versus a placebo light, aiming to boost mitochondrial energy production and reduce inflammation so nerve cells function more effectively, and it would be used alongside, not instead of, levodopa if helpful. They are enrolling people aged 50 to 80 with a Parkinson's diagnosis who can walk unassisted for 2 minutes and who can briefly stop PD meds for testing, and they exclude folks with DBS, photosensitivity, recent head or neck injuries, other neurological conditions, cancer history, or certain psychiatric disorders.
Locations
- University of Delaware STAR Tower, Newark, Delaware, United States
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is this trial testing?
- This trial is studying Red Light (PDT). The goal is to see whether repeated red light therapy can improve motor symptoms, walking endurance, and related problems in people with Parkinson's by helping brain and muscle cells work better. The approach uses low-level red light phototherapy versus a placebo light, aiming to boost mitochondrial energy production and reduce inflammation so nerve cells function more effectively, and it would be used alongside, not instead of, levodopa if helpful. They are enrolling people aged 50 to 80 with a Parkinson's diagnosis who can walk unassisted for 2 minutes and who can briefly stop PD meds for testing, and they exclude folks with DBS, photosensitivity, recent head or neck injuries, other neurological conditions, cancer history, or certain psychiatric disorders.
- Who can participate?
- Participants must be between 50 Years and 80 Years.
- Where is this trial located?
- This trial is recruiting at 1 location.
- Does it cost anything to join?
- You are never charged a fee to join a legitimate clinical trial, and the study treatment and study-specific tests are provided by the trial sponsor at no charge. In the US, routine care you would receive anyway can still be billed to you or your insurance; coverage rules differ by country, and trials in the UK and Canada usually run through public health systems. Travel, parking, and time are real costs, and some trials reimburse them while others do not. Before enrolling, ask the study coordinator to explain in writing what is and is not covered.
- How long does the trial last?
- This trial is estimated to last approximately 10 months.
- Can I leave the trial if I change my mind?
- Yes. You can withdraw from any clinical trial at any time, for any reason, without affecting your standard medical care. Trials are voluntary by law. The team may ask if you are willing to do a brief exit visit so they can collect safety information, but you are not obligated.
- Can my spouse or care partner come with me to visits?
- In most cases yes, and it is often encouraged. Care partners can help with notes, questions, and getting home safely after a long visit. Some study assessments do need to happen one on one, but care partners are usually welcome for the rest of the appointment.
- Will I get a placebo in this trial?
- This is a crossover trial: instead of staying in one group, you move through a sequence of assignments, so you receive the active treatment during at least one period of the study. It also includes a placebo or sham phase, so you would be on that during another period. Ask the coordinator for the exact sequence and how long each phase lasts.
- How many visits does this trial involve?
- Treatment sessions are done 3 times a week for 6 weeks, with cognitive and motor tests before and after the intervention.
- What procedures are involved in this trial?
- Based on the protocol, this trial involves: Walking & movement tests (non-invasive). Confirm the full schedule with the study coordinator.