Attentional Focus and Prefrontal Cortical Activation in Older Adults and Patients With Parkinson's Disease (PD)

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Attention may influence the motor performance and frontal activity. This study will examine the effect of different attentional focus: internal, external and divided attention (dual task) on prefrontal cortical activation (fNIRS) and on gait performance. Thirty older adults and thirty PD will participate in this study.

Detailed Description
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The subjects will be guided to walk at a normal pace while maintaining the required attentional focus. Subjects will walk on 20 m four times in each of the four different focus conditions : no instructions about the attentional focus internal focus on their feet movements, external focus on two lines drawn on the floor, divided attention (walking while performing an arithmetic task). A fNIRS system will be used for the prefrontal cortex activation evaluation and FeetMe soles for gait analyses.

Official Title
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Effects of Different Attentional Focus During Walking on Prefrontal Cortical Activation in Older Adults and Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Conditions
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Parkinson Disease

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: For 2 groups : Man or woman 60-85 years old Informed consent obtained Group Parkinson : clinical diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's Disease, according to the UK Brain Bank criteria. Exclusion Criteria: For 2 groups : Assisted walker Neurological (other than those resulting from Parkinson's disease), cardiologic, rheumatologic disorders Disorders affecting gait. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) < 24. Concomitant medication likely to interfere with the results. Group Parkinson: freezing Hoehn et Yahr > III

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 60 Years
Maximum Age: 85 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Other: Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)<br>Subjects will be guided to walk at a normal pace while maintaining the required attentional focus: no instructions about the attentional focus internal focus on their feet movements, external focus on two lines drawn on the floor, divided attention (walking while performing an arithmetic task). A fNIRS system will be used for the prefrontal cortex activation evaluation and connected soles for gait analyses. | Other: Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)<br>* The hemodynamic response in prefrontal cortex will be measured using an Octomon+ system (Artinis). Eight emission and two detector probes will be arranged on the participant's forehead.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Effects of oxyhemoglobin variations on hemodynamic response in prefrontal cortex | Oxyhemoglobin variations in prefrontal cortex will be measured with a fNIRS system, on a 20 meters distance. | Baseline | 
| Effects of deoxyhemoglobin variations on hemodynamic response in prefrontal cortex | Deoxyhemoglobin variations in prefrontal cortex will be measured with a fNIRS system | Baseline | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Effects of speed on gait. | Gait parameters will be measured with connected soles FeetMe ® : speed | baseline | 
| Effects of cadence on gait. | Gait parameters will be measured with connected soles FeetMe ® : cadence | baseline | 
| Effects of stride length on gait. | Gait parameters will be measured with connected soles FeetMe ® : stride length | baseline | 
| Effects of double support time on gait. | Gait parameters will be measured with connected soles FeetMe ® : double support time. | baseline | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Attention, NIRS, Gait, Prefrontal cortex, Parkinson's disease