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A new international, collaborative research project – including Professor Simon Lewis from Macquarie University – has received funding from Shake It Up to investigate a potential breakthrough treatment for freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease. The study will test whether atomoxetine, a medication commonly used for ADHD, can reduce freezing episodes and improve mobility for people living with Parkinson’s.
Why Freezing of Gait?
Freezing of gait is one of the most debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s. It causes sudden, involuntary episodes where a person’s feet feel stuck to the ground, often leading to falls, injuries, and loss of independence. While dopamine-based treatments help with many Parkinson’s symptoms, they do not effectively treat freezing of gait – leaving people with few options to manage this condition.
How Could an ADHD Medication Help?
Freezing episodes occur when excessive cross-talk in the brain disrupts movement control. Atomoxetine has been shown to reduce this cross-talk, meaning it could offer a new way to manage freezing of gait in Parkinson’s.
This study will recruit participants who experience freezing of gait and randomly assign them to receive either atomoxetine or a placebo. They will then undergo:
- Clinical walking assessments to measure their movement and freezing episodes
- Augmented reality challenges designed to amplify freezing and assess treatment impact
- MRI brain scans to examine whether atomoxetine changes brain network communication
The protocol will be conducted both in the OFF and ON dopamine state and the atomoxetine and placebo state, for a total of four assessments per participant. This will allow researchers to compare results across different conditions and determine atomoxetine’s potential benefits.
What This Means for People with Parkinson’s
One of the most promising aspects of this study is that atomoxetine is already an approved medication, meaning that if it proves effective, it could be fast-tracked for clinical use – unlike a completely new drug that requires years of additional testing.
This research has the potential to significantly improve mobility, reduce falls, and enhance quality of life for thousands of people with Parkinson’s.
With this new funding, the research team can take a critical step toward developing a much-needed treatment for freezing of gait.