Developing a prognostic model of freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease

As you’re walking, suddenly, your feet become glued to the floor, unable to move. This is what people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) often experience, a symptom called Freezing of Gait (FOG). Despite how common it is and its impact on daily life, finding effective treatments has been challenging because we don’t fully understand why it happens. In this project, we use brain scans (MRI) and computer algorithms to predict who might develop this symptom. To create a model that can predict the onset of FOG, we look at changes in the brain’s structure and connections, especially in areas controlling movement. This research could help doctors better manage PD, leading to more targeted clinical trials and potentially sparking the development of new treatments to prevent or lessen the effects of FOG.
Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario (PSSO) offers a variety of Programs and Services to support people affected by Parkinson’s throughout the region. The research findings and resulting articles and newsletters from this project will help PSSO communicate results to the community and attract new donors (e.g., for directed donations).

Faculty Supervisor:

Penny MacDonald

Student:

Partner:

Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

The University of Western Ontario

Program: