Cholinergic Augmentation in Frequently Falling Subjects With Parkinson's Disease

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2009-02-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The purpose of this study is to find out if a medication that increases levels of a brain chemical called acetylcholine will improve balance and reduce falls in patients with parkinson's disease who have the problem of very poor balance and are frequently falling or nearly falling on a daily basis. Donepezil, a drug approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's dementia, will reduce falls in subjects with Parkinson's disease and balance impairment.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Oregon Health and Science University
• Treatments: Cholinergic Agents; Donepezil

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age over 21

• Diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

• Treated with dopaminergic medication for at least 1 year

Exclusion Criteria:

• Must be ambulatory (can use walker or cane)

• No obvious remediable cause of falls

• Falls are on basis of non-CNS etiologies (cardiogenic, orthopedic, peripheral neuropathy, etc)

• Dementia present (MMSE < 25)

• Not taking cholinergic or anticholinergic medications 10 days prior to screening visit

• No Warfarin use