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The cyclical lower extremity exercise for Parkinson's trial (CYCLE): methodology for a randomized controlled trial
Anson B Rosenfeldt1, Matthew Rasanow2, Amanda L Penko3,4
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA. rosenfa2@ccf.org.
BMC Neurology
|April 24, 2015
Summary
Forced exercise cycling significantly improves motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients compared to voluntary cycling or no exercise. This study investigates its neural effects.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Exercise Physiology
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Parkinson's disease (PD) significantly impacts quality of life due to motor and non-motor impairments.
- Preliminary research suggests forced exercise cycling improves cardinal PD symptoms.
- The Cyclical Lower Extremity Exercise (CYCLE) trial investigates this further.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the effects of forced exercise cycling on motor and non-motor performance in PD patients.
- To compare forced exercise cycling against voluntary cycling and a non-exercise control group.
- To identify associated changes in neural activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Main Methods:
- 100 individuals with mild to moderate PD will be randomized into forced exercise, voluntary exercise, or control groups (2:2:1 ratio).
- Exercise groups will cycle 3x/week for 8 weeks at identical aerobic intensities; the forced group cycles 30% faster via motorized assistance.
- Assessments include neuroimaging, clinical, and biomechanical measures at multiple time points, both on and off medication.
Main Results:
- N/A - Results not yet available as this is a trial description.
Conclusions:
- The CYCLE trial is crucial for evaluating the efficacy of forced versus voluntary aerobic exercise in PD.
- This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms of exercise-induced functional changes through integrated clinical, biomechanical, and neuroimaging data.
