FMRI-neurofeedback in Parkinson's Disease

To be considered for this study, you need a confirmed diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Your Parkinson's should be in the early to middle stages, specifically stages 1 to 3 on a scale called the Hoehn and Yahr Scale. You also need to be at least 18 years old.

There are some reasons why you wouldn't be able to join. For instance, if you have certain medical devices or metal in your body that make MRI scans unsafe, or if you have a history of serious mental health conditions like bipolar disorder or psychosis.

Also, the study cannot include people who currently use illegal drugs, drink too much alcohol, or have memory or thinking problems that would make it hard to follow the study instructions. The research team will check all these points carefully to ensure the study is safe and effective for everyone involved.

If you join this study, you'll be asked to come to a research facility for four separate sessions, each lasting about two hours. These sessions will be spread out over approximately one month. During each session, you'll spend about an hour inside an MRI scanner. While in the scanner, you'll be guided through exercises where you imagine moving, and you'll receive visual feedback on your brain activity.

In between these clinic visits, you'll also be asked to practice the mental imagery exercises at home every day. This is to help you get better at 'self-regulating' your brain. There's no specific medication involved in this intervention, but you would continue your usual Parkinson's medication. The study will assess your motor symptoms before and after these sessions to see if the training has made an improvement. The total duration of active participation, including all sessions and home practice, would be about one month with follow-up assessments.