Check out UConn Today’s latest article on our Parkinson Disease Exercise Class 10-year celebration.
Exercise Class for People with Parkinson’s Disease Celebrates 10 Years – UConn Today
Research Projects
STEAM Project (Recruitment complete)
Since the advent of photography, the medium has been used as a scientific tool in understanding movement, time and body. There is evidence that as early as 1879, photographic images were used to study the symptoms and diagnosis of PD.
STEAM Project brings together researchers across three colleges at the University of Connecticut (School of Fine Arts, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources and the School of Medicine) and is aimed to determine the feasibility, safety, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a novel component of a gait training intervention, enhanced visual feedback and reward through photography, to improve movement, motivation, and quality of life in people with Parkinson disease.
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Open in new tab Peer Coaching for Hispanic people with Parkinson disease(recruiting)
The combination of physical activity and social support may improve disease management for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) from under-represented groups (URG). Despite the critical importance of exercise in the management of PD, the majority of Hispanics with PD do not believe that exercise is an important factor for disease management. Cultural barriers compound the problem of inactivity and may contribute to delayed access to healthcare for PD, inhibiting optimal disease management. Receiving positive feedback, engaging in more enjoyable physical activities and social support may facilitate older adults’ engagement in physical activity.
Pepper Scholer Project aims to determine the feasibility of a peer-supported mobile health physical activity intervention for exercise in Latinx people with PD and the effects of this intervention on physical activity, motivation, quality of life, and self-efficacy.
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Protein Supplement Project
Levodopa (L-Dopa) is by far the gold standard for controlling Parkinson’s Disease symptoms. Unfortunately, dietary protein and L-Dopa adsorption interfere with one another, resulting in ineffective symptom management whenever protein is consumed. This interference results in predictable alterations in amino acid profiles. Because these altered amino acid profiles have been linked to worsening long-term health in people with PD, strategies for people with PD to improve nutritional balance while maximizing symptom management are crucial.
For this purpose, our study is going to explore the efficacy of using a targeted amino acid supplement designed to expressly correct known amino acid deficiencies and provide long-term therapeutic effects while minimizing interference with L-Dopa medication. We hypothesize that this supplement will treat known nutritional deficiencies aimed at controlling disease-related and overall health of people with PD while enhancing symptom management.
Available Research Positions for Students (Currently Hiring)
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The effects of physical therapist engagement in managing mental health conditions (A systematic review)
We conducted this systematic review to investigate the effects of physical therapist engagement in the management of mental health conditions on mental health outcomes, body structure & function, activities, and participation in those with a diagnosed mental health condition. In addition, we investigated the mental health conditions that were being managed by physical therapists and the interventions administered by physical therapists. The preponderance of evidence indicated that physical therapist engagement in the management of mental health conditions generally improved mental health symptoms.
American Physical Therapy Association, Combined Sections Meeting, 2024
APTA Combined Sections Meeting, Boston, MA Feb 16, 2024, Dr. Colon Semenza, Dr. Osborne & Dr. Johnson presented “Inseparably Interconnected: The Role of Physical Therapy in Elevating Mental Health.” Jenna Gasparrini (DPT 2025), Haley Gesick (DPT 2025), Shana Virtudes (DPT 2025), and Dr. Colon Semenza presented their poster, “High-intensity Gait training effects on an individual with lance Adams Syndrome: A case Study”