Vibration Therapy For Parkinson’s Disease
Have you seen on TODAY Show a demonstration of a glove which transmits vibration to fingers to reduce tremor, stiffness and other symptoms of Parkinson’s? This device is based on Peter Tass’ research in this area.
Experiments by Dr. Kandel revealed that vibratory stimuli could desynchronize neurons which were firing abnormally and lead to coordinated reset stimulation – known by this name.
Developed by Dr. Peter Tass
Stanford Medicine magazine writer Holly Alyss recently hosted a Sunday Mornings with Twitchy Woman livestream, interviewing Peter Tass about his research with a vibrating glove that relieves Parkinson’s Disease symptoms using “vibrotactile coordinated reset stimulation.” Researchers have conducted tests both with animals and humans with promising results – it can easily be worn during daily tasks without surgery or implanting electrodes into the brain!
Vibration therapy as a strategy to mitigate Parkinson’s symptoms dates back to neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot’s use of a vibrating chair in the 19th century. Other researchers have created vibrating platforms and therapies, but results have been mixed. Tass’ approach, using fingertips to target large numbers of neurons in the brain directly may prove more successful.
Recent research demonstrated that Parkinson’s patients who used the glove twice daily for two hours each time experienced substantial improvement in tremors, stiffness and freezing of gait. Furthermore, patients reported positive feedback regarding its usage; however, its exact mechanism remains unknown and further studies will need to be completed in order to ascertain if this device can indeed provide safe and effective relief from Parkinson’s. While these early results show promise, more studies must be completed before concluding whether this device truly offers relief.
Tass believes the glove works by decreasing neural synchrony in the basal ganglia, the brain areas responsible for movement disorders in Parkinson’s. Vibrations stimulate fingertips that send signals back to these brain areas in order to decrease tremors and stiffness; potentially eliminating medication altogether with its side effects and costs.
Though further study will be required, MJFF is excited about the promise of noninvasive technologies like these to ease symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease. Our grantees are exploring other technologies that might alleviate or measure PD symptoms – for instance a wall-mounted device which bounces radio waves off movements to detect changes in gait.
Patients enrolled in this study will receive the vCR glove for one year and will attend six clinical study visits over time. At each visit, there will be a physical/neurological examination, review of medication usage by treating movement disorder neurologist as well as completion of MDS-UPDRS, UPSIT, PDQ and FOG questionnaires and an EEG, VTDT or APDM procedure.
Developed by students
The device, currently being evaluated in a clinical trial, emits a low vibration that stimulates finger pads – less intense than that produced by cellphones – to alleviate Parkinson’s symptoms such as shaking, stiffness and difficulty walking and talking as well as improve swallowing issues that often plague those living with Parkinson’s. Researchers hope that one day this technology might replace traditional drug therapies as treatments against this progressive illness.
Stanford Medicine magazine reported on an innovative therapy using vibrating gloves to “reset” nerves that misfire in Parkinson’s patients and help them relearn normal movements, according to Stanford Medicine magazine. Participants wore these gloves daily for several hours each, relieving tremors while improving balance and coordination – while also relieving tremors! While this early version exists now, the team plans on scaling it up and making it more affordable as time progresses.
Develop the device required much work and overcoming multiple hurdles. First, the students had to figure out a way to miniaturize its electronic components – something they accomplished using vibration motors found in wearables and smartphones as well as incorporating these motors into a soft glove.
To test their prototype, they recruited a friend with Parkinson’s to wear it and observe its effectiveness. Their results were positive: she could walk unaided for short distances. Since then, the team has developed a lower-cost version of the glove; in addition to sharing their design process and offering tips for people living with PD on how to create their own designs.
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition affecting over half a million Americans, characterized by shaking, stiffness and difficulty with balance and movement. While there is no cure, medications and physical or occupational therapy may reduce symptoms; researchers hoping to create an inexpensive but effective treatment that reduces surgical interventions are working on developing one such solution.
MJFF has previously supported other projects using vibration to ease Parkinson’s symptoms, including socks and shoe inserts that deliver small regular pulses of vibration to feet. This type of treatment can relieve frozen gait while strengthening swallowing muscles thereby decreasing risk for choking risk in PD patients.
Developed by NNMC
Wearing the vibrating glove helps alleviate tremors and stiffness associated with Parkinson’s disease by emitting vibration that retrains misfiring neurons in the brain, with minimal side effects and noninvasiveness. Small clinical trials have demonstrated its efficacy; Stanford researchers are currently testing this treatment option to see if it alleviates symptoms and slows disease progression.
Scientists behind a device known as the Stanford Glove have developed an innovative way of using vibration to treat people living with Parkinson’s disease. Utilizing Vibrotactile Coordinated Reset stimulation (vCR), patients wear two pairs of gloves that send vibration to different fingertips every day in different patterns – helping reset abnormal firing of nerve cells that cause symptoms like tremors, stiffness and balance issues in Parkinson’s.
Researchers performed this research study by monitoring patients’ movements and brain activity to see how the gloves affected them, recording electroencephalographs (EEG) before and after treatments with the vCR gloves. Their analysis demonstrated that they were well tolerated without any side effects being noticed, while significantly improving motor performance for all.
The research builds upon past studies showing vibration can alleviate Parkinson’s symptoms. A 19th-century French neurologist named Jean-Martin Charcot noted that his patients’ tremors would temporarily improve after long carriage and horseback rides, while MJFF has supported several projects using vibration as an aid against PD symptoms, including socks and shoe inserts designed to administer vibration to reduce freezing of gait. A recent review, however, concluded whole-body vibration did not provide sufficient evidence of its benefit.
Although the results from the vCR experiment were promising, more extensive studies are necessary to ascertain whether or not the Stanford Glove can benefit a wider variety of PD patients. To do this accurately, Stanford team must test this device on more patients while also comparing it against other interventions like medications, exercise or occupational therapy.
Developed by EVHS
Students from Northern New Mexico College’s (NNMC) engineering program and Espanola Valley High School (EVHS) math, engineering, and science achievement programs have created a glove designed to reduce symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease. Using vibration therapy, it retrains misfiring nerve cells in the brain responsible for tremors and other movement issues; additionally it may prevent further brain cell loss based on research that demonstrated wearing vibrating gloves helped improve quality of life for people living with the disorder and could ultimately lead to future treatments that are simple, noninvasive treatments of Parkinson’s.
Recently, this project was highlighted on The Today Show and many people living with Parkinson Disease were inspired by its story. But it’s important to keep in mind that accessing a vibrating glove requires participation in a clinical trial; its results should then be published in scientific journals; until then, patients should continue taking their prescribed medications and seeking exercise and other lifestyle interventions as needed.
Studies have demonstrated how simple vibration can help retrain the brain to reduce Parkinson’s symptoms. This concept originated with 19th-century neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot who observed his patients’ tremors improving after carriage or horseback rides. Scientists have since proven the theory using various devices – even using helmets designed specifically to shake the head to treat tremors.
Researchers from Rice University in Houston recently conducted an innovative study which demonstrated how vibrating gloves could retrain the brain to overcome tremors caused by Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Wearing them on both hands for about three months, researchers monitored both before and after treatments using electroencephalograms (EEGs) as a measure of brain electrical activity.
Even though the results of this study were impressive, EVHS continues to pursue other forms of vibration therapy for Parkinson’s. They are collaborating with University of Oregon researchers in developing socks which use vibration to alleviate freezing of gait as well as wearable devices which reduce stuttering.
