Efficacy and Safety or Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) for Gait and Balance Disorders in Parkinson's Disease

Randomized, Blind, Controlled Clinical Trial to Assess the Efficacy and Safety or Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) for Gait and Balance Disorders in Parkinson's Disease

Gait deficits are among the most characteristic and most functionally debilitating signs of the motor neuropathology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) is a technique by which a series of auditory stimuli are presented at a fixed rhythm, so that patients have to synchronize their movements to the rhythms. In this study, auditory stimuli will be constituted by Tango musical pieces, which tempo is modified to adapt to patients' walking cadence. Previous results suggested that RAS can increase Tinetti's gait and balance and may also improve Health-Related Quality of Life. This will be a randomized, blind, controlled clinical trial to further assess RAS efficacy and safety.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinically definitive or probable PD diagnosis
• Gait disorders (MDS-UPDRS #2.12 =1)
• Patients that can be reasonably expected to remain in ON-state during training sessions.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous use of RAS or kinesiology
• MMSE >= 24
• BDI >= 17
• Patients having undergone PD surgical treatments.
• Patients with auditory or visual handicaps