Parkinson's DiseasePhase 4NCT01521117
The Effect of Donepezil on Gait and Balance in Parkinson's Disease
A Phase 4 study testing Donepezil in people with Parkinson's Disease, run by Oregon Health and Science University at 1 site in United States.
Trial 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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age
- Conditions the study is for
- Parkinson's Disease
- What is being tested?
- Donepezil
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 21 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Dec 2011to Jul 2012
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 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)
Who cannot join
- 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
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Parkinson's Center of Oregon - Oregon Health and Science University
Portland, Oregon, 97239
About this study
Official title: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo Controlled, Crossover Study to Evaluate the Effect of Donepezil on Gait and Balance in Parkinson's Disease
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.
Read the detailed description
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neuro-degenerative disease affecting about 2% of the adult population in the United States over the age of 65. Some of the most disabling symptoms of Parkinson's disease are balance and gait dysfunction, leading to falls. These symptoms do not respond to current dopamine directed therapies. Evidence from both pathologic studies and advanced imaging has demonstrated that a cholinergic deficiency in the thalamus and basal ganglia is found in individuals with PD who fall compared to non-fallers. The central acting acetylcholine esterase inhibitor, donepezil, has been demonstrated to decrease falls in individuals with PD. The mechanism by which falls decreased is unknown. Our open label pilot data indicates that donepezil can improve quantitative measures of balance in individuals with PD. Suggesting that improvements in balance in the mechanism by which donepezil reduces falls. Our goal is to determine whether donepezil will:
- Improve quantitative measures of balance in subjects with Parkinson's disease compared to placebo.
- Improve quantitative measures of gait in subjects with Parkinson's disease compared to placebo.
- Improve cognitive measures in non-demented subjects with Parkinson's disease.
- Conditions
- Parkinson's Disease
- Being tested
- Donepezil, Placebo
- Keywords
- donepezil, parkinson's disease, balance, cholinesterase inhibitor
- Medical subject headings
- Parkinson Disease
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
DonepezilDrug
Also called Aricept
Use 1 capsule (5 mg) of donepezil once per day for first 21 days than donepezil 10mg qday for 21 days.
PlaceboDrug
Also called Sugar Pill
Use 1 capsule (5 mg) once per day for first 21 days than 10mg qday for 21 days.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Donepezil, Then Placebo | Experimental | Donepezil 5 mg a day for weeks 1 - 3, if tolerated increased to 10 mg a day for weeks 4 - 6. After a washout period of 4 weeks, placebo 5 mg a day for weeks 1 - 3, if tolerated increased to 10 mg a day for weeks 4 - 6. Receives: Drug: Donepezil; Drug: Placebo |
| Placebo, Then Donepezil | Experimental | Placebo 5 mg a day for weeks 1 - 3, if tolerated increased to 10 mg a day for weeks 4 - 6.
After a washout period of 4 weeks, donepezil 5 mg a day for weeks 1 - 3, if tolerated increased to 10 mg a day for weeks 4 - 6. Receives: Drug: Donepezil; Drug: Placebo |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Sensory Organization Test - Composite Score
Balance was measured using the Sensory Organization test (SOT) on the NeuroCom Balance Master Clinical Research System platform (Neurocom International, Inc), which tests sway in 6 conditions, eyes open, eyes closed, and a moving visual surround first with a stable platform then with a moving platform. Center of Pressure (CoP) was calculated from the recordings. Forces and moments were recorded at 100Hz sampling frequency. A change score from the beginning of each treatment phase (placebo or active drug) to the end of the treatment phase. The SOT is scored on an interval scale with the highest possible score of 100 indicating no sway at all. The lowest possible score of 0 indicates the trial was stopped due to an impending fall. Higher scores are indicative of better balance (greater stability).
Measured: Change from Day 1 of each treatment phase to Day 42 of each treatment phase
Sensory Organization Test (SOT) - Condition 4 (Eyes Open, Moving Surround, Stable Platform).
Condition 4 of the Sensory Organization Test. The participants eyes are open as the surround moves and the platform remains stable. A change score from the beginning of each treatment phase (placebo or active drug) to the end of the treatment phase. The SOT is scored on an interval scale with the highest possible score of 100 indicating no sway at all. The lowest possible score of 0 indicates the trial was stopped due to an impending fall. Higher scores are indicative of better balance (greater stability).
Measured: Change from Day 1 of each treatment phase to Day 42 of each treatment phase
Secondary outcomes (1)
Trails B - A
The Trail Making Test (TMT) consists of two parts (A \& B) in which the subject is instructed to connect a set of 25 dots as quickly as possible while still maintaining accuracy. The test provides information about visual search speed, scanning, speed of processing, and executive functioning. Part A measures processing speed and part B measures executive functioning. The TMT is time to complete each part of the test in seconds. Higher scores indicate greater impairment. Subtracting part A from part B (Trails B-A) is theorized to reduce the influence of the working memory and visuo-spatial demands and, therefore, provides a relatively pure indicator of executive function. A change score from the beginning of each treatment phase (placebo or active drug) to the end of the treatment phase.
Measured: Change from Day 1 of each treatment phase to Day 42 of each treatment phase
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted30 Jan 2012 (estimated)
- Study startDec 2011
- Primary completionApr 2012
- Study completionJul 2012
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for Parkinson's DiseaseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Oregon Health and Science UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 21 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Oregon Health and Science University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Amie Hiller, MD, Oregon Health and Science University
- Investigators
- Seth Kareus, MD, Principal investigator, Movement Disorders Program - Parkinson's Center of Oregon - Oregon Health and Science University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01521117
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- OHSU-7363
- Status last verified
- Sep 2021
- First submitted
- 12 Jan 2012
- Last updated
- 5 Oct 2021
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Oct 2021. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo Controlled, Crossover Study to Evaluate the Effect of Donepezil on Gait and Balance in Parkinson's Disease
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01521117
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- OHSU-7363
- Conditions
- Parkinson's Disease
- Keywords
- donepezil, parkinson's disease, balance, cholinesterase inhibitor
- Phase
- Phase 4
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 21 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Oregon Health and Science UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Dec 2011
- Primary completion
- Apr 2012 (actual)
- Study completion
- Jul 2012 (actual)
- First posted
- 30 Jan 2012 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 27 Aug 2021
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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.
Detailed description
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neuro-degenerative disease affecting about 2% of the adult population in the United States over the age of 65. Some of the most disabling symptoms of Parkinson's disease are balance and gait dysfunction, leading to falls. These symptoms do not respond to current dopamine directed therapies. Evidence from both pathologic studies and advanced imaging has demonstrated that a cholinergic deficiency in the thalamus and basal ganglia is found in individuals with PD who fall compared to non-fallers. The central acting acetylcholine esterase inhibitor, donepezil, has been demonstrated to decrease falls in individuals with PD. The mechanism by which falls decreased is unknown. Our open label pilot data indicates that donepezil can improve quantitative measures of balance in individuals with PD. Suggesting that improvements in balance in the mechanism by which donepezil reduces falls. Our goal is to determine whether donepezil will:
- Improve quantitative measures of balance in subjects with Parkinson's disease compared to placebo.
- Improve quantitative measures of gait in subjects with Parkinson's disease compared to placebo.
- Improve cognitive measures in non-demented subjects with Parkinson's disease.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, care provider, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Donepezil, Then Placebo | Experimental | Drug: Donepezil, Drug: PlaceboDonepezil 5 mg a day for weeks 1 - 3, if tolerated increased to 10 mg a day for weeks 4 - 6. After a washout period of 4 weeks, placebo 5 mg a day for weeks 1 - 3, if tolerated increased to 10 mg a day for weeks 4 - 6. |
| Placebo, Then Donepezil | Experimental | Drug: Donepezil, Drug: PlaceboPlacebo 5 mg a day for weeks 1 - 3, if tolerated increased to 10 mg a day for weeks 4 - 6. After a washout period of 4 weeks, donepezil 5 mg a day for weeks 1 - 3, if tolerated increased to 10 mg a day for weeks 4 - 6. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- 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)
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- 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
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| DonepezilAlso: AriceptUse 1 capsule (5 mg) of donepezil once per day for first 21 days than donepezil 10mg qday for 21 days. | Drug | Donepezil, Then Placebo, Placebo, Then Donepezil |
| PlaceboAlso: Sugar PillUse 1 capsule (5 mg) once per day for first 21 days than 10mg qday for 21 days. | Drug | Donepezil, Then Placebo, Placebo, Then Donepezil |
Primary outcome
Sensory Organization Test - Composite Score
Time frame: Change from Day 1 of each treatment phase to Day 42 of each treatment phase
Balance was measured using the Sensory Organization test (SOT) on the NeuroCom Balance Master Clinical Research System platform (Neurocom International, Inc), which tests sway in 6 conditions, eyes open, eyes closed, and a moving visual surround first with a stable platform then with a moving platform. Center of Pressure (CoP) was calculated from the recordings. Forces and moments were recorded at 100Hz sampling frequency. A change score from the beginning of each treatment phase (placebo or active drug) to the end of the treatment phase. The SOT is scored on an interval scale with the highest possible score of 100 indicating no sway at all. The lowest possible score of 0 indicates the trial was stopped due to an impending fall. Higher scores are indicative of better balance (greater stability).
Sensory Organization Test (SOT) - Condition 4 (Eyes Open, Moving Surround, Stable Platform).
Time frame: Change from Day 1 of each treatment phase to Day 42 of each treatment phase
Condition 4 of the Sensory Organization Test. The participants eyes are open as the surround moves and the platform remains stable. A change score from the beginning of each treatment phase (placebo or active drug) to the end of the treatment phase. The SOT is scored on an interval scale with the highest possible score of 100 indicating no sway at all. The lowest possible score of 0 indicates the trial was stopped due to an impending fall. Higher scores are indicative of better balance (greater stability).
1 secondary outcome
Trails B - A
Time frame: Change from Day 1 of each treatment phase to Day 42 of each treatment phase
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 5 Oct 2021.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Seth Kareus, MD principal investigator
Movement Disorders Program - Parkinson's Center of Oregon - Oregon Health and Science University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 4 study testing Donepezil in people with Parkinson's Disease, run by Oregon Health and Science University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Oct 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 27 Aug 2021). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Sensory Organization Test - Composite Score (time frame: Change from Day 1 of each treatment phase to Day 42 of each treatment phase). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Oct 2021; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.