The Effects of Vibrotactile Stimulation in Patients With Movement Disorders

The Effects of Vibrotactile Stimulation (Not Impossible Vibrohealth) on Motor Control and Symptoms in Patients With Movement Disorders

Vibration applied to the skin has been anecdotally reported to potentially improve motor control in patients with movement disorders including Parkinson's disease, however few devices have been studied formally. In this study, the investigators will test the effect of skin surface vibration applied non-invasively to patients with movement disorders to determine if there are any beneficial effects on common tasks of motor control and/or abnormal motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), essential tremor (ET), and dystonia.

This study is to evaluate the feasibility, reliability, and clinical effects of Non-invasive vibrotactile stimulation (VTS) on basic tasks of motor control and on the motor symptoms of patients with movement disorders. VTS Settings will include continuous stimulation, intermittent stimulation during walking, and sham stimulation.

The investigators will recruit 30 patients with PD who are between the ages of 18-80 years old and independently living in the community. The investigators will additionally recruit up to 5 patients with ET and up to 5 patients with dystonia.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18-80 and able to provide informed consent.
• Have a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, or cervical dystonia made by a movement disorders specialist.
• Medically optimized without planned medication changes for the duration of the study.
• For patients with ET, they will have a score of at least 2 on items 5 and 6 of the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin (FTM) Tremor Rating Scale.
• For patients with dystonia, they will have abnormal dystonic postures of the head and not isolated head tremor

Exclusion Criteria:

• The presence of additional neurologic diseases, that might confound testing or the coexistence of PD and ET together (action tremor that was present prior to the development of parkinsonism).
• Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy at the wrist (reduced vibratory, pinprick, or temperature sensation)
• Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) score < 20 or previously documented dementia
• Unable to walk without a walking aid (e.g. cane, stick, walker)