Body-Worn Sensors to Characterize & Treat Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease

简介(申请人提供)：我是俄勒冈健康与科学大学(OHSU)神经学系博士后研究员，意大利博洛尼亚大学生物工程博士。我目前在Fay Horak博士的实验室里的研究项目集中在使用身体佩戴的传感器量化帕金森氏病(PD)和多发性硬化症(MS)受试者的处方平衡和步态任务。我的长期职业目标是建立自己的独立实验室，通过可穿戴传感器客观地表征、了解和监测神经疾病患者的活动障碍，以便开发量身定制的康复干预措施，例如基于生物反馈的解决方案。目前的项目旨在表征帕金森病患者的步态干扰，如步态冻结(FOG)，并应用振动触觉生物反馈作为康复干预。拟议项目的K99阶段将在健康对照组受试者和帕金森氏症受试者中进行实验室研究，以确定运动、雾发作的特征(目标I)，并确定具有相位依赖的振动触觉生物反馈的增强本体感觉对步态干扰的影响(目标II)。项目的K00阶段将转化K99阶段的结果，以表征帕金森病受试者家庭环境中的运动和雾(目标III)，并探索在正常日常活动中通过生物反馈改善运动的可能性(目标IV)。为了实现我的目标，我需要在与临床和翻译研究相关的问题上获得专业知识，在帕金森氏病的病理生理学方面获得专业知识，并完善我的信号处理技能。我还需要额外的与临床问题相关的技能和写作方面的培训。我的经验丰富的导师团队将是这个项目成功的关键。Fay Horak博士(PT博士)和John Nutt博士(医学博士)是帕金森氏病平衡和步态障碍研究领域的两位杰出研究人员，他们有着长期卓有成效的合作历史、NIH持续的资金支持和成功的指导。詹姆斯·麦克纳姆斯博士是一位电子工程师，在身体运动的信号处理方面拥有专业知识，利用惯性传感器开发运动功能障碍的客观测量方法。俄勒冈健康与科学大学提供的优秀研究环境与我的职业目标完美匹配。OHSU为我提供的重要资源包括俄勒冈州临床和翻译研究所(提供研究援助和统计咨询)、人类调查计划(提供临床研究方方面面的课程)、俄勒冈州帕金森中心(提供接触帕金森病患者的途径和讨论尖端研究的杂志俱乐部)、平衡障碍实验室(提供设备、空间和研究援助)。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): I am a postdoctoral research fellow in the Neurology department of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), with a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from University of Bologna, Italy. My current research projects in Dr. Fay Horak's laboratory focus on quantifying prescribed balance and gait tasks with body-worn sensors in subjects with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). My long-term career goal is to establish my own independent laboratory, and objectively characterize, understand, and monitor mobility impairments in patients with neurological disorders by means of wearable sensors, in order to develop tailored rehabilitation interventions, such as biofeedback-based solutions. The current project aims to characterize gait disturbances in PD, such as Freezing of Gait (FoG), and apply a vibrotactile biofeedback as a rehabilitation intervention. The K99 phase of the proposed project will perform laboratory studies in healthy control subjects and subjects with PD to characterize locomotion, FoG episodes (Aim I) and to determine the effects of enhanced proprioception, with phase-dependent vibrotactile biofeedback, on gait disturbances (Aim II). The K00 phase of the project will then translate results of the K99 phase to characterize locomotion and FoG in PD subjects' home environment (Aim III) and explore the possibility of improving locomotion with biofeedback during normal daily activities (Aim IV). To achieve my goal, I need to gain expertise in issues related to clinical and translational research, in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease, and to refine my signal processing skills. I also need additional training in grantsmanship and writing related to clinical problems. My experienced team of mentors will be critical to the success of this project. Dr. Fay Horak, Ph.D., PT, and Dr. John Nutt, MD, are two of the preeminent researchers in the study of balance and gait disorders in Parkinson's disease, with a long history of productive collaboration, continuous NIH funding, and successful mentoring. Dr. James McNames, Ph.D., is an electrical engineer with expertise in signal process of body motion to develop objective measures of motor dysfunction using inertial sensors. The outstanding research environment provided by Oregon Health & Science University is a perfect match for my career goals. Important resources available to me at OHSU include the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (which provides research assistance and statistical consultation), the Human Investigations Program (which provides courses in all aspects of clinical research), the Parkinson's Center of Oregon (which provides access to patients with PD and a journal club for discussing cutting-edge research), the Balance Disorders Laboratory (which provides equipment, space and research assistance).