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Roytman S, Paalanen R, Carli G, Marusic U, Kanel P, van Laar T, Bohnen NI. Multisensory mechanisms of gait and balance in Parkinson's disease: an integrative review. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:82-92. [PMID: 38767478 PMCID: PMC11246153 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-01484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the neural underpinning of human gait and balance is one of the most pertinent challenges for 21st-century translational neuroscience due to the profound impact that falls and mobility disturbances have on our aging population. Posture and gait control does not happen automatically, as previously believed, but rather requires continuous involvement of central nervous mechanisms. To effectively exert control over the body, the brain must integrate multiple streams of sensory information, including visual, vestibular, and somatosensory signals. The mechanisms which underpin the integration of these multisensory signals are the principal topic of the present work. Existing multisensory integration theories focus on how failure of cognitive processes thought to be involved in multisensory integration leads to falls in older adults. Insufficient emphasis, however, has been placed on specific contributions of individual sensory modalities to multisensory integration processes and cross-modal interactions that occur between the sensory modalities in relation to gait and balance. In the present work, we review the contributions of somatosensory, visual, and vestibular modalities, along with their multisensory intersections to gait and balance in older adults and patients with Parkinson's disease. We also review evidence of vestibular contributions to multisensory temporal binding windows, previously shown to be highly pertinent to fall risk in older adults. Lastly, we relate multisensory vestibular mechanisms to potential neural substrates, both at the level of neurobiology (concerning positron emission tomography imaging) and at the level of electrophysiology (concerning electroencephalography). We hope that this integrative review, drawing influence across multiple subdisciplines of neuroscience, paves the way for novel research directions and therapeutic neuromodulatory approaches, to improve the lives of older adults and patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stiven Roytman
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rebecca Paalanen
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Giulia Carli
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson's Disease Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Uros Marusic
- Institute for Kinesiology Research, Science and Research Centre Koper, Koper, Slovenia
- Department of Health Sciences, Alma Mater Europaea - ECM, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Prabesh Kanel
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson's Disease Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Parkinson's Foundation Research Center of Excellence, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Teus van Laar
- Department of Neurology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nico I Bohnen
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson's Disease Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Parkinson's Foundation Research Center of Excellence, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Neurology Service and GRECC, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Mildner S, Hotz I, Kübler F, Rausch L, Stampfer-Kountchev M, Panzl J, Brenneis C, Seebacher B. Effects of activity-oriented physiotherapy with and without eye movement training on dynamic balance, functional mobility, and eye movements in patients with Parkinson's disease: An assessor-blinded randomised controlled pilot trial. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304788. [PMID: 38875243 PMCID: PMC11178185 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe changes in balance, walking speed, functional mobility, and eye movements following an activity-oriented physiotherapy (AOPT) or its combination with eye movement training (AOPT-E) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). To explore the feasibility of a full-scale randomised controlled trial (RCT). METHODS Using an assessor-blinded pilot RCT, 25 patients with PD were allocated to either AOPT or AOPT-E. Supervised interventions were performed 30 minutes, 4x/weekly, for 4 weeks, alongside inpatient rehabilitation. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and post-intervention, including dynamic balance, walking speed, functional and dual-task mobility, ability to safely balance, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), depression, and eye movements (number/duration of fixations) using a mobile eye tracker. Freezing of gait (FOG), and falls-related self-efficacy were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 4-week follow-up. Effect sizes of 0.10 were considered weak, 0.30 moderate, and ≥0.50 strong. Feasibility was assessed using predefined criteria: recruitment, retention and adherence rates, adverse events, falls, and post-intervention acceptability using qualitative interviews. RESULTS Improvements were observed in dynamic balance (effect size r = 0.216-0.427), walking speed (r = 0.165), functional and dual-task mobility (r = 0.306-0.413), ability to safely balance (r = 0.247), HRQoL (r = 0.024-0.650), and depression (r = 0.403). Falls-related self-efficacy (r = 0.621) and FOG (r = 0.248) showed varied improvements, partly sustained at follow-up. Eye movement improvements were observed after AOPT-E only. Feasibility analysis revealed that recruitment was below target, with less than two patients recruited per month due to COVID-19 restrictions. Feasibility targets were met, with a retention rate of 96% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 77.68-99.79) and a 98.18% (95% CI: 96.12-99.20) adherence rate, exceeding the targets of 80% and 75%, respectively. One adverse event unrelated to the study intervention confirmed intervention safety, and interview data indicated high intervention acceptability. CONCLUSIONS AOPT-E and AOPT appeared to be effective in patients with PD. Feasibility of a larger RCT was confirmed and is needed to validate results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Mildner
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Clinic for Rehabilitation Münster, Münster, Austria
| | - Isabella Hotz
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Clinic for Rehabilitation Münster, Münster, Austria
| | - Franziska Kübler
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Clinic for Rehabilitation Münster, Münster, Austria
| | - Linda Rausch
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Johanna Panzl
- Department of Neurology, Clinic for Rehabilitation Münster, Münster, Austria
| | - Christian Brenneis
- Department of Neurology, Clinic for Rehabilitation Münster, Münster, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner Institute for Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Research, Münster, Austria
| | - Barbara Seebacher
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, Clinic for Rehabilitation Münster, Münster, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner Institute for Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Research, Münster, Austria
- Clinical Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Caparrós-Manosalva C, Espinoza J, Caballero PM, da Cunha MJ, Yang F, Galen S, Pagnussat AS. Movement strategies during obstacle crossing in people with Parkinson disease: A systematic review with meta-analysis. PM R 2024. [PMID: 38656703 DOI: 10.1002/pmrj.13166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Navigating obstacles involves adjusting walking patterns, particularly when stepping over them. This task may be particularly challenging for people with Parkinson disease (PD) for several reasons. This review aims to compare the spatiotemporal gait parameters of people with and without PD while stepping over obstacles. LITERATURE SURVEY A systematic literature search was conducted in six databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, Embase, and SciELO) from inception to September 2023. METHODOLOGY Studies were selected that evaluated gait parameters of people with and without PD while walking over obstacles. Two independent researchers evaluated the eligibility and extracted gait parameters during obstacle crossing. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2-tests. Random effects models were determined for effect sizes as standardized mean differences (SMD). SYNTHESIS Twenty-five studies were included in the review and 17 in the meta-analysis. Most of the studies (58%) showed a low risk of bias. People with PD exhibit a shorter step when landing after crossing an obstacle (SMD = -0.50 [-0.69 to -0.31]). Compared to people without PD, people with PD also widen their support base (SMD = 0.27 [0.07-0.47]) and reduce gait velocity (SMD = -0.60 [-0.80 to -0.39]) when crossing the obstacle. CONCLUSIONS People with PD adopt a more conservative motor behavior during obstacle crossing than those without PD, with a shorter step length when landing after crossing an obstacle, greater step width and lower crossing speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Caparrós-Manosalva
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Talca, Talca, Chile
- Rehabilitation Sciences Graduate Program, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jessica Espinoza
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Talca, Talca, Chile
- Rehabilitation Sciences Graduate Program, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Paula M Caballero
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Maira J da Cunha
- Rehabilitation Sciences Graduate Program, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Movement Analysis and Rehabilitation Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, UFCSPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Feng Yang
- Department of Kinesiology and Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sujay Galen
- Department of Physical Therapy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Aline S Pagnussat
- Rehabilitation Sciences Graduate Program, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Movement Analysis and Rehabilitation Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, UFCSPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Department of Physical Therapy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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ŞtefŞnescu E, Strilciuc Ş, Chelaru VF, Chira D, Mureşanu D. Eye tracking assessment of Parkinson's disease: a clinical retrospective analysis. J Med Life 2024; 17:360-367. [PMID: 39044921 PMCID: PMC11262608 DOI: 10.25122/jml-2024-0270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) presents a significant clinical challenge due to its profound motor and cognitive impacts. Early diagnosis is crucial for implementing effective, stage-based treatment strategies. Recently, eye-tracking technology has emerged as a promising tool for the non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring of various neurological disorders, including PD. This retrospective study analyzed eye-tracking parameters, specifically visually-guided saccades (VGS), in PD patients within a clinical setting. We reviewed eye-tracking data from 62 PD patients, focusing on eye movement performance in horizontal and vertical VGS tasks. Our findings revealed significant correlations between demographic profiles, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, pattern recognition, and spatial working memory tests with saccadic performance in PD patients. Despite the retrospective nature of the study, our results support the potential of eye-tracking technology as a valuable diagnostic tool in PD assessment and monitoring. Future research should prioritize longitudinal studies and more comprehensive assessments to further understand and enhance the clinical application of eye-tracking in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel ŞtefŞnescu
- Department of Neuroscience, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- RoNeuro Institute for Neurological Research and Diagnostic, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - ştefan Strilciuc
- RoNeuro Institute for Neurological Research and Diagnostic, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine, and Translational Medicine, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Vlad-Florin Chelaru
- Department of Neuroscience, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- RoNeuro Institute for Neurological Research and Diagnostic, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Diana Chira
- Department of Neuroscience, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- RoNeuro Institute for Neurological Research and Diagnostic, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Dafin Mureşanu
- Department of Neuroscience, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- RoNeuro Institute for Neurological Research and Diagnostic, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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Cockx HM, Lemmen EM, van Wezel RJA, Cameron IGM. The effect of doorway characteristics on freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1265409. [PMID: 38111795 PMCID: PMC10726031 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1265409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Freezing of gait is a debilitating symptom in Parkinson's disease, during which a sudden motor block prevents someone from moving forward. Remarkably, doorways can provoke freezing. Most research has focused on the influence of doorway width, and little is known about other doorway characteristics influencing doorway freezing. Objective Firstly, to provide guidelines on how to design doorways for people with freezing. Secondly, to compare people with doorway freezing to people without doorway freezing, and to explore the underlying mechanisms of doorway freezing. Methods We designed a web-based, structured survey consisting of two parts. Part I (n = 171 responders), open to people with Parkinson's disease with freezing in general, aimed to compare people with doorway freezing to people without doorway freezing. We explored underlying processes related to doorway freezing with the Gait-Specific Attention Profile (G-SAP), inquiring about conscious movement processes occurring during doorway passing. Part II (n = 60), open for people experiencing weekly doorway freezing episodes, inquired about the influence of specific doorway characteristics on freezing. Results People with doorway freezing (69% of Part I) had higher freezing severity, longer disease duration, and scored higher on all sub scores of the G-SAP (indicating heightened motor, attentional, and emotional thoughts when passing through doorways) than people without doorway freezing. The main categories provoking doorway freezing were: dimensions of the door and surroundings, clutter around the door, lighting conditions, and automatic doors. Conclusion We provide recommendations on how to maximally avoid freezing in a practical setting. Furthermore, we suggest that doorways trigger freezing based on visuomotor, attentional, and emotional processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena M. Cockx
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Science, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Center of Expertise for Parkinson and Movement Disorders, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Eefke M. Lemmen
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Science, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Richard J. A. van Wezel
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Science, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Biomedical Signals and Systems Group, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | - Ian G. M. Cameron
- Biomedical Signals and Systems Group, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
- OnePlanet Research Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Faculty of Science, Education Center, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Li H, Zhang X, Yang Y, Xie A. Abnormal eye movements in Parkinson's disease: From experimental study to clinical application. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2023; 115:105791. [PMID: 37537120 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2023.105791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that integrates a series of motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms, making early recognition challenging. The exploration of biomarkers is urgently required. Abnormal eye movements in PD have been reported to appear in a variety of ways since eye tracking technology was developed, such as decreased saccade amplitude, extended saccade latency, and unique saccade patterns. Non-invasive, objective and simple eye tracking has the potential to provide effective biomarkers for the PD diagnosis, progression and cognitive impairment, as well as ideas for research into the occurrence and treatment strategy of motor symptoms. In this review, we introduced the fundamental eye movement patterns and typical eye movement paradigms (such as fixation, pro-saccade, anti-saccade, smooth tracking, and visual search), summarized the symptoms of various ocular motor abnormalities in PD, and discussed the research implications of oculomotor investigation to the pathogenesis of PD and related motor symptoms, as well as the clinical implications as biomarkers and its inspiration on treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Li
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
| | - Xue Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Qingdao Central Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Hospital, Qingdao, China
| | - Yong Yang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Anmu Xie
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China; The Cerebral Vascular Disease Institute, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
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Cates A, Gordon KE. Seeing does not mean processing: where we look and the visual information we rely on change independently as we learn a novel walking task. Exp Brain Res 2023; 241:2535-2546. [PMID: 37704876 PMCID: PMC10846673 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-023-06704-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
People use vision to inform motor control strategies during walking. With practice performing a target stepping task, people shift their gaze farther ahead, transitioning from watching their feet contact the target to looking for future target locations. The shift in gaze focus suggests the role of vision in motor control changes from emphasizing feedback to feedforward control. The present study examines whether changing visual fixation location is accompanied by a similar change in reliance upon visual information. Twenty healthy young adults practiced stepping on moving targets projected on the surface of a treadmill. Periodically, participants' visual reliance was probed by hiding stepping targets which inform feedback or feedforward (targets < or > 1.5 steps ahead, respectively) motor control strategies. We calculated visual reliance as the increase in step error when targets were hidden. We hypothesized that with practice, participant reliance on feedback visual information would decrease and their reliance on feedforward visual information would increase. Contrary to our hypothesis, participants became significantly more reliant on feedback visual information with practice (p < 0.001) but their reliance on feedforward visual information did not change (p = 0.49). Participants' reliance on visual information increased despite looking significantly farther ahead with practice (p < 0.016). Together, these results suggest that participants fixated on feedback information less. However, changes in fixation pattern did not reduce their reliance upon feedback information as stepping performance still significantly decreased when feedback information was removed after training. These findings provide important context for how the role of vision in controlling walking changes with practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Cates
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University, 645 N Michigan Ave, Suite 1100, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Keith E Gordon
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University, 645 N Michigan Ave, Suite 1100, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Research Service, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, 5000 5th Ave, Hines, IL, 60141, USA
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Attentional focus effect on dual-task walking in Parkinson's disease with and without freezing of gait. GeroScience 2022; 45:177-195. [PMID: 35726118 PMCID: PMC9886752 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-022-00606-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In Parkinson's disease, the optimal attentional focus strategy for dual-task walking may vary with freezing of gait (FOG), due to different severities of impaired automaticity. The study aimed to investigate (i) the immediate effect of attentional focus on dual-task walking in participants with and without FOG, and (ii) the training effect of attentional focus on walking, FOG, and falls. In experiment 1, FOG and non-FOG groups (16 participants each) performed a dual-task of holding two interlocking rings apart while walking, either without attention instruction or with instructions to focus attention internally or externally. Gait parameters and ring-touching times were measured. In experiment 2, 30 participants with FOG were randomized to 6 weeks of dual-task training with internal-focus or external-focus instruction. Before and after training, we recorded timed up-and-go (TUG) and TUG dual-task (TUGdt) in on-medication and off-medication states, and the numbers of FOG episodes and falls. The non-FOG group showed less step length variability and shorter ring-touching times with external-focus. The FOG group showed less step length variability, less cadence, increased gait velocity, and longer step lengths with internal-focus compared to external-focus and no-focus instructions. Both internal-focus and external-focus training reduced FOG and falls after intervention, but only internal-focus training reduced TUG and TUGdt in both on-medication and off-medication states. Our findings suggest external-focus would enhance walking automaticity and the concurrent task accuracy for non-freezers, whereas for freezers, internal-focus could increase gait stability and lead to a more positive effect on improving locomotion control and reducing falling risk.
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