NCT01307176

Exercise Training Program for Cerebellar Ataxia

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 25 (actual)
• Sponsor: Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Inc. · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 95 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a person's ability to adapt (i.e. short term motor learning) predicts their ability to benefit from physical therapy exercises.

Detailed description

The cerebellum is important for coordination of movement and for motor learning. No medications systematically improve cerebellar ataxia, and little is known about the effectiveness of rehabilitation exercises, which are often the only treatment option. Here, we ask whether a person's ability to adapt (i.e. short term motor learning) predicts their ability to benefit from physical therapy exercises. This pilot-clinical trial will test a subject's ability to adaptively learn a new walking pattern in a single session, and then any improvement of walking and balance over a 13 week time period during which they participate in a specialized home exercise training program. Our prediction is that those individuals with some preserved adaptive learning ability will be the best rehabilitation candidates.

Conditions

• Cerebellar Ataxia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Home exercise program	The home exercise program uses standard physical therapy exercises that have never been rigorously tested for people with cerebellar ataxia. These include sitting balance exercises (e.g. sitting on a peanut-shaped exercise ball and moving arms or legs), standing balance exercises (e.g. weight shifting, moving arms and legs), and walking exercises (e.g. walking heel-to-toe). The exercises are in a progression, going from less to more challenging. Though the exercises are standard, they are the intervention that we are testing and we will consider them experimental.

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-02-01
• Primary completion: 2014-02-01
• Completion: 2015-02-01
• First posted: 2011-03-02
• Last updated: 2015-04-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States