NCT02696603

Mobile Parkinson Observatory for Worldwide, Evidence-based Research (mPower)

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20,000 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Sage Bionetworks · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to understand variation in the symptoms of Parkinson disease. This study uses an iPhone app to record these symptoms through questionnaires and sensors.

Detailed description

Living with Parkinson disease means coping with symptoms that change every day. Yet these changes are not tracked frequently enough. Most people with Parkinson disease see a clinician only once or twice a year. This study measures changes in Parkinson disease symptoms in real time using an app. The app remotely monitors Parkinson disease symptoms using surveys and the sensors on mobile devices. This study may contribute to increasing our understanding of the variability in Parkinson disease symptoms. This knowledge could be used to improve quality of life for people living with Parkinson disease.

Conditions

• Parkinson Disease
• Neurodegenerative Diseases
• Movement Disorders
• Central Nervous System Diseases
• Brain Diseases
• Basal Ganglia Diseases
• Parkinsonian Disorders

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Participant self-assessment surveys	At enrollment, participants are asked to complete a baseline health history and a participant-reported symptom inventory. Thereafter, participants are asked to respond to commonly used questions that assess Parkinson Disease symptoms and quality of life at regular intervals.
BEHAVIORAL	Phonation	Participants are asked to record themselves saying "Aaah" for 10 seconds using the iPhone microphone. This activity is designed to assess vocal features, including vocal tremor. The investigators extract features from the digital audio signals of these sustained phonations. The investigators apply feature selection and classifier algorithms and analyze these phonations using methods similar to those employed in the Parkinson Voice Initiative.
BEHAVIORAL	Gait and balance	Participants are asked to walk back and forth for 30 seconds and then stand still for 30 seconds. Gait and balance are measured by gyroscope and accelerometer sensors. The investigators examine step-dependent and sequence-dependent features from these sensors. The investigators apply feature selection and classifier algorithms to analyze these data.
BEHAVIORAL	Memory	Participants are asked to complete a visuospatial short-term memory game related to the Corsi block tapping test \[Corsi, P.M. (1972)\] as adapted by Kate Possin, PhD of the University of California San Francisco Memory and Aging Center (personal communication, 2015). In this activity, participants are presented with a grid of objects that change color in a set pattern. Participants are then asked to tap the objects in that same pattern. The investigators assess the sequence length completed.
BEHAVIORAL	Dexterity	Participants are asked to tap on the phone screen with alternating fingers. This test can be done with either or both hands. The investigators record the rhythm, speed, and location of these taps using the touch sensors of the iPhone screen. The investigators assess participant dexterity through a combination of steadiness, speed, and tap precision.
BEHAVIORAL	Participant open-response writing	Qualitative participant feedback is used to assess participant engagement with, understanding of, and acceptance of app-based research.
OTHER	Parkinson mPower mobile application	Participants complete all described behavioral interventions via a dedicated iPhone app, Parkinson mPower.

Timeline

• Start date: 2015-03-01
• Primary completion: 2018-02-28
• Completion: 2025-12-31
• First posted: 2016-03-02
• Last updated: 2025-06-11

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States