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Attention and Eye Movement in Parkinson's Disease
Sponsor: University of Nebraska
Summary
The goal of this observational and interventional study is to understand how therapeutic deep brain stimulation (DBS) affects attention, perception and cognition in participants with Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET). The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does impaired control of attention and eye movement in PD alter how social cues are perceived and interpreted? * Does therapeutic DBS improve or worsen attentional and perceptual deficits for social cues in PD and ET? * Can DBS be optimized to restore normal attentional control in PD while remaining an effective therapy for other aspects of the disorder. * What do parts of the brain targeted by DBS contribute to the control of attention? Using an eye tracking camera, investigators will study how participants with PD and ET look at and perceive facial expressions of emotion before and after starting DBS therapy, in comparison to a group of healthy participants without ET, PD or DBS. Participants with PD and ET will see and rate morphed facial expressions on a computer screen in three conditions: * Before starting DBS therapy (over approximately 1 hour). * In the operating room, during the standard procedure to implant DBS electrodes, while the participant is awake (for no more than 15 minutes). * After starting DBS therapy, with brief experimental changes of DBS stimulation level and frequency (over approximately 1 hour).
Official title: Investigating the Role of Attention in Perceptual and Cognitive Consequences of Parkinson's Disease
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
19 Years - 90 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
138
Start Date
2025-09-22
Completion Date
2028-08
Last Updated
2025-12-23
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Interventions
Normal therapeutic DBS
Participants will receive deep brain stimulation delivered at the clinically determined therapeutic frequency and current over approximately 20 min.
Reduced current DBS
Participants will receive deep brain stimulation delivered at the clinically determined therapeutic frequency and reduced (50%) current over approximately 20 minutes.
Reduced frequency DBS
Participants will receive deep brain stimulation delivered at the clinically determined therapeutic current and reduced (4 Hz) frequency over approximately 20 min.
Locations (1)
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, Nebraska, United States