Investigating the Cholinergic Contribution to Gait Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease

People with Parkinson's disease often experience problems with 'gait' and balance. Gait refers to the way a person moves while walking, such as their speed and length of steps. People with Parkinson's may experience slowness of movement, shuffle their feet, or have periods of 'freezing', during which their feet feel like they are stuck to the floor. Some people may struggle to maintain their balance and fall. These symptoms are frequently disabling and can lead to a worse quality of life. The nervous system is your body's messaging system - it helps different parts of your body communicate with one another. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that deliver those messages from one part of the body to another. The purpose of this study is to determine if the use of ARICEPT (Donepezil hydrochloride) improves gait and balance and its relation to the size of an area of the brain called "Cholinergic Nucleus 4" (Ch4). The study team is also studying how degeneration (breakdown and eventual loss) in Ch4 contributes to problems with gait and balance. One way this may happen is through the loss of a chemical in the brain called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter and its activity is associated with alertness, thinking, and the ability to move. Taking a drug that increases acetylcholine, such as ARICEPT, may improve gait and balance. By better understanding this relationship, we may be able to improve the treatment of gait and balance problems in the future.

NCT Number	NCT06903910
Lead Sponsor	University of Virginia
Conditions	Parkinson Disease
Enrollment	6 participants
Start Date	2024-11-01
Primary Completion	2025-06-30 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-01-31 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-03-09