The Effect of Donepezil on Gait and Balance in Parkinson's Disease

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2012-07-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

This study involves Parkinson's disease (PD). Symptoms include slow movement, tremor, and muscle rigidity. Current medications for the treatment of PD do not improve gait and balance difficulties in individuals with PD. Donepezil (study drug) has been found to reduce falls in individuals with PD. The mechanism in which this reduction of falls occurs is unclear. The investigators study will look at what aspects of gait and balance are improved by the study drug. The study drug is not approved to treat PD in the United States or other countries because we do not know enough about it.

• Phase: Phase 4
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Oregon Health and Science University
• Treatments: Donepezil

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Idiopathic Parkinson's disease, defined by the UK Brain Bank criteria, with a Hoehn and Yahr score of 2 to 4

• Treated with levodopa for at least a year and on a stable antiparkinsonian regimen for at least one month

• Abnormal computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) on screening defined as a composite score below 65 (range 1-100)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Dementia defined by MMSE less than 27

• Other medical conditions other than PD affecting balance or gait as determined by the investigators

• Unable to stand unassisted for 30 minutes

• Current use of an acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or drugs with known anticholinergic properties

• Medical or psychiatric co-morbidities that may interfere with compliance or might place subject in danger as determined by the investigators