Current Research Studies Recruiting Participants
We recommend you speak to your doctor’s office before enrolling in a research trial or study.
Hispanic/Latino Study about Physical Activities and Exercise in people with Parkinson Disease (PD) and their Care Partners
University of Wisconsin – Madison is conducting a study to better understand the physical activity and exercise in the Hispanic or Latino PD Community.
Who is needed:
- Adults with Parkinson Disease ages 18+ who are Hispanic or Latino/a, and live in Wisconsin, Illinois or Missouri.
- Adults, who are Latino/Hispanic who care for a person with Parkinson disease. This includes family members and friends ages 18+ who care for an individual with Parkinson disease, and live in Wisconsin, Illinois or Missouri.
Participation includes completing:
One demographic questionnaire (approx. 15-30 minutes,) and
Two interviews about your physical activities/exercise (approx. 30-60 minutes each.)
All activities can be done in person, by phone, or by videocall (Zoom.)
Participants will receive $125 after completing the Questionnaire and the two interviews.
For more information for PD participants, click for English flyer or click for Español.
For more information for Care Partners, click for English flyer or click for Español.
Interested? Call 608-262-2712 (English) or 608-890-2126 (Español) or email SMIL@EDUCATION.WISC.EDU.
Deep Brain Stimulation
Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine is conducting a study to determine how Parkinson’s disease and deep brain stimulation changes the function of the brain’s cortex and how these changes relate to behavior.
Who is needed: Adults 50 to 76 years of age, with PD and have deep brain stimulators and people without PD.
There will be 1 study visit for all participants; control participants will have an MRI scan. The study visit can be split across 2 days as needed. $25.00 per hour is provided for time and effort.
Contact Kaeli-Skye Spight at DeepBrainStimulation@wustl.edu to find out more about this study. Please include in your email if you are with or without PD and your age.
Music-Based Walking Program
Washington University in St. Louis is recruiting adults aged 30 and older with Parkinson’s disease for a music-based walking program and attending 24 one-hour sessions approximately twice a week.
Participation includes four evaluation sessions lasting 2-3 hours. Two sessions are imaging sessions with an MRI.
The classes are twice weekly for about 12 weeks, from February 9 to April 29, 2024, at:
The Program in Physical Therapy
4444 Forest Park.
Eligibility criteria include:
- No other neurological diseases (besides PD)
- Right handed or ambidextrous
- Normal hearing
- Able to walk with or without an assistive device for 10 continuous minutes
- No contraindications for magnetic resonance imaging (i.e. metallic implants, severe claustrophobia, uncontrolled and severe tremor or dyskinesia)
Participants will be paid up to $400 for participation
Contact Martha Hessler at 314-286-1478 or mjhessler@wustl.edu.
Protein Aggregation and Neurotransmitter Deficits (PAND) study in Parkinson’s Disease
Washington University School of Medicine is St. Louis is conducting a study to valuate the relationship between clinical symptoms and brain changes in people with PD as compared to healthy controls without PD.
Participation will involve an in-office visit lasting about 6-8 hours. You will be asked to come back for a follow up visit every two years. You are also being asked to donate your brain for this research after your passing.
Who is needed: Adults diagnosed with Parkinson disease as well as healthy controls with no family history of movement disorders.
Volunteers will be compensated $50-$200 per visit for their time.
Click here for a list of tests/procedures and more information.
Contact information: Emma Carr at 314-362-7586 or nil-PANDstudy@email.wustl.edu.
Protein and Imaging Biomarkers in Parkinson’s Disease
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is conducting a study to evaluate the relationship between clinical symptoms and brain changes in people with PD as compared to healthy controls without PD.
Participation includes an in-office visit lasting about 12 hours over 2 separate days. You will be asked to come back for a follow up visit every three years. You are also being asked to donate your brain for this research after your passing.
Who is needed: Females diagnosed with Parkinson Disease and male healthy controls with no family history of movement disorders.
Volunteers are provided lunch and will be compensated $50-$300 for their time. Lodging can be provided for out of town volunteers.
Click here for a list of tests/procedures and more information.
Contact information: Emma Carr at 314-362-7586 or nil-pdpibstudy@email.wustl.edu.
Memory Intervention and Parkinson’s Disease
Washington University School of Medicine is recruiting people with Parkinson’s disease who are 50 years or old, have noticed changes in thinking or memory, and have not had brain surgery to participate in a Memory Intervention Research Study.
Participation will include a pre-training assessment, 8 training sessions, post-training assessment, and follow-up questionnaires. Participants will receive up to $130.
For more information, contact Tasha Doty, MA, study coordinator at 785-865-8943 or tdoty@wustl.edu.
Black and African American people with Parkinson’s Disease
Washington University School of Medicine would like to hear stories from Black and African American people with Parkinson’s disease and those who care for them, or have cared for them in the past:
What has your experience with PD been like?
How has your healthcare for PD been?
What would improve healthcare for PD?
Have you participated in research or community services related to PD? Why or why not?
This research study is looking to help Black and African American people with Parkinson’s disease get better care and possibly be included in research to help make healthcare better and easier to get.
By sharing your story, you can help people who look like you and live where you live.
You’ll speak to a team member for 1-2 hours, where and when is best for you and you’ll get $50 for your time.
To learn more, contact Dominique Woodhouse at 618-401-2328 or email woodhouse@wustl.edu.
Movement, Speech, and Thinking Study
St. Louis University is recruiting volunteers to participate in a study to examine the brain activity involved in walking, balance, thinking and speaking among people with neurologic disease including Parkinson’s disease.
You may qualify if you:
- Are between 45 and 85 years of age
- Have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
Participation involves:
- One or two study visits of no more than 4 hours during which yo will complete walking, balance, thinking, and speaking tasks.
- Wearing a small wearable sensor that will gather information about your physical activity during waking hours for 1 week between visits.
- You will be compansated following completion of your study participation ($50).
Location:
St. Louis University
Allied Health Professions Building
3437 Caroline Street
St. Louis, MO 693104
For more information, please email Jason Longhurst at 314-977-8533 or email jason.longhurst@health.slu.edu.
Study in Parkinson Disease of Exercise Phase 3 Clinical Trial: SPARX3
Washington University is seeking volunteers to participate in a clinical research trial to learn more about the effects of aerobic exercise on people with Parkinson’s disease.
Criteria:
People who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease within the last 3 years and are not yet taking medication for your PD symptoms
People who do not plan to start medication for PD within the next 6 months
People who are willing to take part in a regular treadmill exercise program 4x/week for 18 months and participate in study visits periodically for 24 months
Participants who are 40-80 years old
Participants who are not already participating in a structured exercise program
Principal Investigator: Gammon Earhart Department: Program in Physical Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine
Contact Martha Hessler at 314-286-1478 or mjhessler@wustl.edu.
Lower Back Pain Study
The Movement and Neurodegenerative Disease group at Washington University is studying how low back pain affects movement and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease.
Low back pain is common in people with and without Parkinson’s. However, it is unclear if and how specific features of PD contribute to the low back pain. The purpose of this study is to determine if and how low back pain in people with Parkinson’s disease differs from low back pain in adults without PD. Participation involves one laboratory visit (3-4 hours) to test movement and sensation. Participants will be paid up to $25 total.
Criteria:
People with and without low back pain and Parkinson’s disease.
People without Parkinson’s disease who have low back pain.
Contact Martha Hessler at 314-286-1478 or mjhessler@wustl.edu.