Objective: This study is to examine effects and neural mechanisms of training involving rhythmic auditory stimulation on upper-limb movements in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: Bradykinesia is a major symptom of PD and has a negative impact on quality of life. Rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) is a widely used and promising treatment technique for repetitive movements, which has been shown to effectively improve gait speed in PD patients. This suggests that training involving RAS may reduce bradykinesia by targeting repetitive upper-limb movements, thereby facilitating daily living tasks through generalization. However, only few studies have examined effects and neural mechanisms of training involving RAS on upper-limb movements.

Method: This study recruits 32 patients with PD and 32 closely matched healthy controls. PD patients are assigned to the PD-RAS group and the PD-noRAS group, while healthy controls are assigned to the HC-RAS group and the HC-noRAS group. A seven-day upper-limb training involving RAS (for the PD-RAS group and the HC-RAS group) or without RAS (for the PD-noRAS group and the HC-noRAS group) is provided. The box and block test (BBT) and the nine-hole peg test (NHPT) are performed to assess upper-limb movements. Electroencephalography (EEG) is conducted for power and connectivity analysis to examine neural activity. The BBT, NHPT, and EEG are performed at three time points: before and after the first day of training, and after a seven-day training program. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance is performed to investigate the group and time effects on upper-limb function and neural activity. We hypothesize that training involving RAS significantly improves the speed of movements, power of beta oscillations, and coherence between motor and auditory areas in PD patients and healthy controls. Compared to healthy controls, PD patients had significantly slower movements, smaller beta oscillations, and less coherence.

Results: This study is a work in progress and does not have results yet.

Conclusion: This study is one of the pioneering investigations demonstrating effects of RAS on reducing upper limb bradykinesia and thus shedding lights on RAS as a therapeutic strategy for PD patients. It provides a scientific foundation for further research and clinical applications of RAS on upper-limb movement training in PD patients.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/effects-and-neural-mechanisms-of-training-involving-rhythmic-auditory-stimulation-on-upper-limb-movements-in-patients-with-parkinsons-disease/