Parkinson s DiseaseRASP-PDNCT07378722
Rhythmic Auditory Stimulaton Using Personalized Music Therapy in Parkinson's Disease
A study testing conventional physical therapy and Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) in people with Parkinson s Disease, run by Rumesa Butt at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder commonly associated with gait disturbances, balance impairments, and freezing of gait, which significantly increase the risk of falls and reduce functional independence. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 45 to 55 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Parkinson s Disease
- What is being tested?
- conventional physical therapy and Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS)
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 5 Feb 2026to 6 Apr 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 45 to 55 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- According to the Queen Square Brain Bank standard , clinical diagnosed patients of PD Both male and females ages 45-55 The mini mental state examination scale MMSE screening without severe cognitive impairment,can cooperate with this study > 23 Mild bergs balance scale BBS score (21-40 ) score
Who cannot join
- A history of neoplasms; severe cardiovascular, respiratory, visual, auditory, andmuscular-skeletal disease; other neurological conditions; and neurologic music therapy inthelast3 months.
- Other disorders that could potentially influence balance and walking.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Pakistan1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Shadman Medical Center
Lahore, Punjab Province, 54000
Rumesa Butt, MSPT N, 03044020918, rumesaaslam5@gmail.com
Montiha Azeem, MSPTN, 03479717317, muntahaazeem9@gmail.com
About this study
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder commonly associated with gait disturbances, balance impairments, and freezing of gait, which significantly increase the risk of falls and reduce functional independence. Conventional physical therapy improves mobility in individuals with PD; however, persistent gait deficits often remain. Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) is an emerging, evidence-based intervention that uses external auditory cues to enhance gait timing, stride length, and movement initiation.
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of rhythmic auditory stimulation using personalized music therapy combined with conventional physical therapy compared to conventional physical therapy alone in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The primary outcomes include freezing of gait, gait velocity, and balance performance. Forty-two clinically diagnosed Parkinson's disease patients will be randomly allocated into two groups. Group A will receive conventional physical therapy, while Group B will receive rhythmic auditory stimulation using personalized music in addition to conventional therapy over an 8-week intervention period.
The findings of this study may provide clinical evidence supporting the integration of personalized rhythmic auditory stimulation into rehabilitation programs for improving gait and balance in individuals with Parkinson's disease.
Read the detailed description
Parkinson's disease is characterized by progressive impairments in motor control, including bradykinesia, rigidity, postural instability, and freezing of gait. Among these, freezing of gait and balance dysfunction are particularly disabling, as they interfere with safe ambulation and daily activities. Despite pharmacological management, gait and balance impairments often persist, necessitating effective rehabilitative strategies.
Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) is a neurologic music therapy technique that provides rhythmic external cues to facilitate movement coordination through auditory-motor entrainment. Auditory cues, particularly when synchronized with an individual's natural walking cadence, have been shown to improve gait initiation, stride length, walking speed, and movement regularity in patients with Parkinson's disease. Personalized music-based RAS may further enhance adherence, motivation, and motor performance compared to non-personalized auditory cues.
This randomized controlled trial will be conducted at University of Lahore Teaching Hospital and Shadman Medical Center, Lahore, over a duration of nine months following ethical approval. A total of 42 patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease according to Queen Square Brain Bank criteria will be recruited using a purposive sampling technique and randomly allocated into two equal groups through computer-generated randomization.
Both groups will receive treatment three times per week for eight weeks (24 sessions). Group A will undergo a conventional physical therapy program focusing on warm-up activities, stretching, balance training, gait training, and strengthening exercises. Group B will receive rhythmic auditory stimulation using personalized music synchronized to the participant's walking cadence in addition to the same conventional physical therapy protocol.
Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention period. The primary outcome variables include freezing of gait, gait velocity, and balance management. Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 24, with appropriate parametric or non-parametric statistical tests applied based on data distribution. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 will be considered statistically significant.
This study aims to provide high-quality clinical evidence regarding the effectiveness of rhythmic auditory stimulation using personalized music therapy as an adjunct to conventional physical therapy in improving gait and balance outcomes in individuals with Parkinson's disease.
- Conditions
- Parkinson s Disease
- Being tested
- conventional physical therapy, Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS)
- Keywords
- Parkinson's disease, Rhythmic auditory stimulation, Personalized music therapy, Freezing of gait
- Medical subject headings
- Parkinson Disease
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
conventional physical therapyBehavioural
GROUP A This group will receive the conventional physical therapy protocol for 8 weeks, they will receive treatment 3 times a week and the readings will be takenat baseline and at the end of 8 weeks of treatment. Total treatment sessions will be 24
Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS)Behavioural
Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) will be delivered using personalized music selected according to each participant's preferred genre and synchronized to their individual walking cadence. Auditory cues will be provided through rhythmic music or a metronome embedded within the music to facilitate temporal gait regulation and motor entrainment. During gait training, participants will be instructed to synchronize their steps with the rhythmic auditory cues while walking overground.
The RAS intervention will be administered three sessions per week for eight weeks, with each session lasting approximately 15-20 minutes and integrated into a conventional physical therapy program. The tempo of auditory cues will be adjusted progressively based on individual performance to encourage improvements in gait initiation, stride consistency, walking velocity, and reduction in freezing episodes.
This intervention is designed to enhance gait automaticity and balance control in individuals with Parki
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| group A Conventional physical therapy | Active comparator | Participants in Group A will receive conventional physical therapy for Parkinson's disease. The intervention will be delivered three times per week for eight weeks and will include warm-up activities, stretching, balance training, gait training, and lower-limb strengthening exercises. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after completion of the intervention period. Receives: Behavioral: conventional physical therapy |
| group B Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation with Personalized Music | Experimental | Participants in Group B will receive rhythmic auditory stimulation using personalized music synchronized to individual gait cadence, in addition to conventional physical therapy. The intervention will be administered three times per week for eight weeks. Conventional therapy will include warm-up exercises, stretching, balance training, gait training, and strengthening. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and after completion of the intervention period. Receives: Behavioral: Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Freezing of Gait
Freezing of gait will be assessed using the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOGQ), a validated patient-reported outcome measure designed to quantify the frequency and severity of freezing episodes during walking, turning, and gait initiation in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Higher scores indicate greater severity of freezing of gait.
Measured: Baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention
Secondary outcomes (1)
Balance Performance
Balance performance will be evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), a standardized clinical assessment consisting of 14 functional balance tasks. Scores range from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating better balance and postural stability in individuals with Parkinson's disease.
Measured: Baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted30 Jan 2026
- Study start5 Feb 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion5 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion6 Apr 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Parkinson s DiseaseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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 N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Rumesa Butt
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Rumesa Butt, University of Lahore
- Investigators
- Rumesa Aslam, MSPTN, Principal investigator, The University of Lahore, Lahore
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07378722
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UOL/IREB/25/15/03/34
- Acronym
- RASP-PD
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 23 Jan 2026
- Last updated
- 30 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 30 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Rhythmic Auditory Stimulaton Using Personalized Music Therapy in Parkinson's Disease
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07378722
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- RASP-PD / UOL/IREB/25/15/03/34
- Conditions
- Parkinson s Disease
- Keywords
- Parkinson's disease, Rhythmic auditory stimulation, Personalized music therapy, Freezing of gait
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Rumesa ButtUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 5 Feb 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 5 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 6 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 30 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder commonly associated with gait disturbances, balance impairments, and freezing of gait, which significantly increase the risk of falls and reduce functional independence. Conventional physical therapy improves mobility in individuals with PD; however, persistent gait deficits often remain. Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) is an emerging, evidence-based intervention that uses external auditory cues to enhance gait timing, stride length, and movement initiation.
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of rhythmic auditory stimulation using personalized music therapy combined with conventional physical therapy compared to conventional physical therapy alone in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The primary outcomes include freezing of gait, gait velocity, and balance performance. Forty-two clinically diagnosed Parkinson's disease patients will be randomly allocated into two groups. Group A will receive conventional physical therapy, while Group B will receive rhythmic auditory stimulation using personalized music in addition to conventional therapy over an 8-week intervention period.
The findings of this study may provide clinical evidence supporting the integration of personalized rhythmic auditory stimulation into rehabilitation programs for improving gait and balance in individuals with Parkinson's disease.
Detailed description
Parkinson's disease is characterized by progressive impairments in motor control, including bradykinesia, rigidity, postural instability, and freezing of gait. Among these, freezing of gait and balance dysfunction are particularly disabling, as they interfere with safe ambulation and daily activities. Despite pharmacological management, gait and balance impairments often persist, necessitating effective rehabilitative strategies.
Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) is a neurologic music therapy technique that provides rhythmic external cues to facilitate movement coordination through auditory-motor entrainment. Auditory cues, particularly when synchronized with an individual's natural walking cadence, have been shown to improve gait initiation, stride length, walking speed, and movement regularity in patients with Parkinson's disease. Personalized music-based RAS may further enhance adherence, motivation, and motor performance compared to non-personalized auditory cues.
This randomized controlled trial will be conducted at University of Lahore Teaching Hospital and Shadman Medical Center, Lahore, over a duration of nine months following ethical approval. A total of 42 patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease according to Queen Square Brain Bank criteria will be recruited using a purposive sampling technique and randomly allocated into two equal groups through computer-generated randomization.
Both groups will receive treatment three times per week for eight weeks (24 sessions). Group A will undergo a conventional physical therapy program focusing on warm-up activities, stretching, balance training, gait training, and strengthening exercises. Group B will receive rhythmic auditory stimulation using personalized music synchronized to the participant's walking cadence in addition to the same conventional physical therapy protocol.
Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention period. The primary outcome variables include freezing of gait, gait velocity, and balance management. Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 24, with appropriate parametric or non-parametric statistical tests applied based on data distribution. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 will be considered statistically significant.
This study aims to provide high-quality clinical evidence regarding the effectiveness of rhythmic auditory stimulation using personalized music therapy as an adjunct to conventional physical therapy in improving gait and balance outcomes in individuals with Parkinson's disease.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| group A Conventional physical therapy | Active comparator | Behavioral: conventional physical therapyParticipants in Group A will receive conventional physical therapy for Parkinson's disease. The intervention will be delivered three times per week for eight weeks and will include warm-up activities, stretching, balance training, gait training, and lower-limb strengthening exercises. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after completion of the intervention period. |
| group B Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation with Personalized Music | Experimental | Behavioral: Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS)Participants in Group B will receive rhythmic auditory stimulation using personalized music synchronized to individual gait cadence, in addition to conventional physical therapy. The intervention will be administered three times per week for eight weeks. Conventional therapy will include warm-up exercises, stretching, balance training, gait training, and strengthening. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and after completion of the intervention period. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 45 to 55 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- According to the Queen Square Brain Bank standard , clinical diagnosed patients of PD Both male and females ages 45-55 The mini mental state examination scale MMSE screening without severe cognitive impairment,can cooperate with this study > 23 Mild bergs balance scale BBS score (21-40 ) score
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- A history of neoplasms; severe cardiovascular, respiratory, visual, auditory, andmuscular-skeletal disease; other neurological conditions; and neurologic music therapy inthelast3 months.
- Other disorders that could potentially influence balance and walking.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| conventional physical therapyGROUP A This group will receive the conventional physical therapy protocol for 8 weeks, they will receive treatment 3 times a week and the readings will be takenat baseline and at the end of 8 weeks of treatment. Total treatment sessions will be 24 | Behavioural | group A Conventional physical therapy |
| Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS)Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) will be delivered using personalized music selected according to each participant's preferred genre and synchronized to their individual walking cadence. Auditory cues will be provided through rhythmic music or a metronome embedded within the music to facilitate temporal gait regulation and motor entrainment. During gait training, participants will be instructed to synchronize their steps with the rhythmic auditory cues while walking overground. The RAS intervention will be administered three sessions per week for eight weeks, with each session lasting approximately 15-20 minutes and integrated into a conventional physical therapy program. The tempo of auditory cues will be adjusted progressively based on individual performance to encourage improvements in gait initiation, stride consistency, walking velocity, and reduction in freezing episodes. This intervention is designed to enhance gait automaticity and balance control in individuals with Parki | Behavioural | group B Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation with Personalized Music |
Primary outcome
Freezing of Gait
Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention
Freezing of gait will be assessed using the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOGQ), a validated patient-reported outcome measure designed to quantify the frequency and severity of freezing episodes during walking, turning, and gait initiation in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Higher scores indicate greater severity of freezing of gait.
1 secondary outcome
Balance Performance
Time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 30 Jan 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
Rumesa Aslam, MSPTN principal investigator
The University of Lahore, Lahore
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing conventional physical therapy and Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) in people with Parkinson s Disease, run by Rumesa Butt at 1 site in Pakistan.
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 1 inclusion and 2 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 30 Jan 2026. 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 Pakistan. 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.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Rumesa Butt, MSPTN (03044020918, rumesaaslam5@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Freezing of Gait (time frame: Baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention). 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 30 Jan 2026.