Modeling Stride Time and Stride Length Variability with a Virtual Reality Paradigm in Parkinson's Disease patients with and without Freezing of Gait

Gilat, M. (Moran) (2012) Modeling Stride Time and Stride Length Variability with a Virtual Reality Paradigm in Parkinson's Disease patients with and without Freezing of Gait. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Freezing of gait (FOG) is a common and debilitating symptom affecting many patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Although the pathophysiology of FOG is not fully understood, a number of observations regarding the pattern of gait in patients with this symptom have been made. Increased 'Stride Time Variability' (STV) has been one of the most robust of these features reported in patients with FOG. In addition, increased 'Stride Length Variability' prior to an episode of FOG has also been reported. METHODS: In this study we sought to identify whether patients with FOG demonstrated similar fluctuations in gait rhythm and step length whilst performing a Virtual Reality (VR) gait task. Eighteen patients with freezing and 12 non-freezers performed the VR gait task twice, once whilst 'On' their regular PD medication and once in their practically defined 'Off state. RESULTS: Significantly, patients with FOG had greater variability in their step time variability than non-freezers in both the 'On' and 'Off' states, whilst all patients displayed greater step time variability during their 'Off' state assessment. Finally, patients with FOG showed a significant increase in the variability of their step length in the five steps prior to a behavioural freezing episode when compared with a similar number of steps that were unrelated to a behavioural freezing event. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that characteristic features of gait disturbance observed in patients with FOG can be modeled by a VR gait paradigm, offering the potential to further explore this phenomenon in PD.

Item Type:	Thesis (Thesis)
Supervisor name:	Kamsma, Dr. Yvo P.T. PhD and Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Cente and Groningen, Groningen
Supervisor name:	Shine Dr. James M. MBBS and Bolitho Dr. Samuel J. MBBS and Matar, Elie BSc and Parkinson's Disease Clinic, Brain and Mind Research Institut
Faculty:	Medical Sciences
Date Deposited:	25 Jun 2020 10:48
Last Modified:	25 Jun 2020 10:48
URI:	https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/946

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