New $2M MJFF grant backs Parkinson’s walking study at Boston University
Researchers will study motor and cognitive responses to rhythmic cues
Written by |
- Boston University received a $2M grant to study Parkinson's walking.
- The study will examine motor and cognitive responses to MedRhythms’ MOVIVE platform.
- MOVIVE uses rhythmic auditory cues to support walking in people with Parkinson’s.
Boston University has been awarded a $2 million research grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) to support a clinical study examining motor and cognitive factors related to changes in walking among people with Parkinson’s disease who use MedRhythms’ music-based platform, MOVIVE.
MOVIVE is an at-home medical device that delivers rhythmic auditory stimulation, helping people synchronize their walking pattern with musical rhythms to support gait rehabilitation and motor function.
The grant is part of MJFF’s Personalized Approaches for Understanding, Assessing and Improving Gait in Parkinson’s Disease research program, which supports clinical research focused on personalized ways to improve walking and motor-cognitive functions in people with Parkinson’s.
“Walking impairments are among the most common and disabling symptoms of Parkinson’s disease,” Terry Ellis, PhD, a professor at Boston University and the study’s lead investigator, said in a university press release. “This award reflects The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s commitment to accelerating scalable, evidence-based approaches … for people living with [Parkinson’s disease].”
How Parkinson’s disease affects movement and walking
Parkinson’s is caused by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons — nerve cells that produce dopamine, a chemical messenger involved in movement. The disease is characterized by motor symptoms, such as tremors, slowed movements, and problems with balance and walking.
MOVIVE uses principles of rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) to help address ongoing walking difficulties. It is designed to help people with Parkinson’s match their walking speed and rhythm to a musical beat. The system includes wireless foot sensors that clip onto shoes to track walking in real time, a headset that delivers sound through the bones near the ears, and a touchscreen device with specialized software.
Data from a small, earlier trial (NCT04891107) suggested improvements in motor function and mobility after one month of use, with patients generally adhering well to the program and reporting improvements in quality of life.
A follow-on clinical trial, called Amped-PD (NCT05421624), found that using MOVIVE helped people develop lasting walking habits and walk more often, at a higher intensity, and more steadily than when walking on their own.
The newly funded study will investigate motor and cognitive responses to a three-month MOVIVE intervention, using a range of walking, mobility, and cognitive assessments.
Study will track brain activity linked to walking changes
Researchers will also use an innovative, wearable brain imaging tool based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy, a noninvasive device worn like a hat, to record brain activity and examine brain changes linked to walking performance. The goal is to identify brain-based markers of cognitive function and understand why individuals may respond differently to MOVIVE gait training.
The study plans to enroll 160 participants across three academic medical centers: Boston University, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of Utah. MedRhythms will provide the devices and technical support for the study at no cost.
Brian Harris, co-founder and chief scientific officer at MedRhythms, said the company “is honored to support this important study funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation and led by Dr. Terry Ellis of Boston University, a leader in the field. We look forward to the impact that this study may have on advancing important care for people living with Parkinson’s disease.”
