19 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The goals of this study are: 1) to identify biomarkers using neuroimaging that are associated with progression rate using statistical methods, and 2) to identify biomarkers that are associated with the differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonism.
This is a phase 3, open-label, multiple-center, randomized cross-over study to assess the safety and efficacy of \[123I\]NAV5001 SPECT imaging in aiding in the differentiaion of parkinsonian syndromes from non-parkinsonian tremor.
This is a phase 3, open-label, multiple-center, non-randomized single dose study to assess the safety and efficacy of \[123I\]NAV5001 SPECT imaging in aiding in the differentiaion of parkinsonian syndromes from non-parkinsonian tremor.
This will be two separate but identical studies: ALSE-A-02a, ALSE-A02b. Each study is designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and safety of a single dose of 123I-ALTROPANE® in subjects with upper extremity tremor for less than three years. Currently, no radiopharmaceutical diagnostic imaging agent has been approved by the FDA in the U.S. for use in diagnosing Parkinson disease and related Parkinsonian syndromes. The diagnosis of Parkinsonian syndromes in the U.S. is based on clinical criteria only. The goal is to demonstrate that 123I-ALTROPANE® paired with SPECT imaging permits a more accurate early diagnosis of Parkinson disease than a clinical diagnosis by a general neurologist.
Patients come to their doctor showing possible symptoms of a movement disorder. It is possible that these symptoms may get worse over time. There is more than one disease that can cause such symptoms. The most common movement disorder illnesses are Parkinson´s Disease and Essential Tremor. Sometimes it is difficult for doctors to make the right diagnosis because the symptoms caused by these illnesses are almost the same. On the other hand the correct treatment for Parkinson´s Disease is different from the correct treatment for Essential Tremor. This study aims to see whether having pictures of the brain taken with DaTSCAN can affect the way the doctor treats these patients and whether it can affect their quality of life directly.
The overall goal of the study is to evaluate how research participants in Parkinson Disease studies that include brain imaging with a dopamine transporter ligand choose to receive the imaging data and what is the impact of the imaging data information on the management of their symptoms.
The overall goal of this study is to evaluate the use of dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging as a diagnostic tool in subjects with early parkinsonian symptoms, in whom Parkinson's disease (PD) or parkinsonian syndrome (PS) is suspected, but the diagnosis remains unclear from a clinical standpoint.
This study involves study participants who have been clinically diagnosed with parkinsonian syndrome or who are at-risk for parkinsonian syndrome, have a family history of parkinsonian syndrome or exposure to environmental toxins potentially associated with parkinsonian syndrome. Participants will have brain imaging to assess dopamine transporter density. The imaging data coupled with family history and environmental exposure data may provide important information about potential risk factors for parkinsonian syndrome.
Diagnosing Parkinson's disease (PD) depends on the clinical history of the patient and the patient's response to specific treatments such as levodopa. Unfortunately, a definitive diagnosis of PD is still limited to post-mortem evaluation of brain tissues. Furthermore, diagnosis of idiopathic PD is even more challenging because symptoms of PD overlap with symptoms of other conditions such as essential tremor (ET) or Parkinsonian syndromes (PSs) such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), multiple system atrophy (MSA), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), or vascular Parkinsonism (VaP). Based on the principle that PD and PSs affect brain areas involved in eye movement control, this trial will utilize a platform that records complex eye movements and use a proprietary algorithm to characterize PSs. Preliminary data demonstrate that by monitoring oculomotor alterations, the process can assign PD-specific oculomotor patterns, which have the potential to serve as a diagnostic tool for PD. This study will evaluate capabilities of the process and its ability to differentiate PD from other PSs with statistical significance. The specific aims of this proposal are: To optimize the detection and analysis algorithms, and then to evaluate the process against neurological diagnoses of PD patients in a clinical study.
We propose to build on preliminary data evaluating non-dopaminergic/non-motor clinical biomarkers to more fully assess these markers at the threshold of Parkinson disease (PD). Development of reliable biomarkers for both dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic manifestations of Parkinson disease (PD) and related disorders may dramatically accelerate research on PD etiology, pathophysiology, and therapeutics. Biomarkers are broadly defined as characteristics that are objectively measured and evaluated as indicators of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention. Specific biomarkers may be useful at the onset of neurodegeneration, the onset of disease, and/or to mark disease progression.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by rigidity, bradykinesia, postural instability, and tremor. Clinical decline reflects ongoing degeneration of dopamine-containing neurons. A critical unmet need for clinical research is to improve early detection of these diseases by developing tools to assist with earlier diagnosis. Biomarkers are broadly defined as characteristics that are objectively measured and evaluated as indicators of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention (Biomarkers Defintions Working Group 2001). Development of reliable biomarkers for PD would dramatically accelerate research on PD etiology, pathophysiology, disease progression and therapeutics. Specific biomarkers may be useful at the onset of neurodegeneration, the onset of disease, and/or to mark disease progression. The biomarkers in this study include brain imaging with a radioactively labelled drug (Beta-CIT), computerized testing of memory, attention, motor speed, judgment and handwriting, and assessments of speech and smell. Subjects may also be asked to provide a blood sample for genetic and biochemical testing.
The goal of this study is to investigate neurophysiologic tests that have the potential of serving as screening tools for Parkinson's disease. These neurophysiologic tests will be administered to individuals with Parkinson's disease and parkinsonian syndrome and validated against a healthy control population. Specifically, this study will look at changes in motor function, cognitive function, handwriting, speech, and olfactory function in individuals with Parkinson's disease, individuals at risk for Parkinson's disease and healthy controls.
In this study, individuals complete and return a mail survey, specifically a 40 item scratch and sniff smell test.
Study participants who have been clinically diagnosed with Parkinson disease will receive no treatment, treatment with either levodopa, or treatment with Mirapex for a period of 12 weeks. Over the course of the study subjects will travel to the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders (IND) in New Haven, Connecticut for brain imaging.
Previous studies showed that a dose of 8 millicuries of Altropane was appropriate for imaging patients with suspected Parkinson's disease. This study will determine if a lower dose (5 millicuries) would suffice.
* Purpose - to validate a combination of biological and clinical markers in the rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) population as indicative of the pre-symptomatic stage of Parkinson's disease (PD). * Procedures - All subjects (RBD diagnosis and controls) will have 1) a medical and neuro history and physical including videotape of movements, 2) neuropsychological testing, 3) a sleep study, 4) olfactory testing, 5) blood draw for serum testing , 6) functional MRI. All of these procedures are often performed clinically in the diagnosis of PD. Enrollment of subjects with PD is complete. Any testing performed prior to enrollment as part of the clinical evaluation may be used in place of repeating the procedure for the study. Subjects will be followed for 5 years. It is hypothesized that a 5 year follow up may capture a significant number of pre-Parkinson's subjects who will be diagnosed. Subjects may be offered a repeat enrollment after 5 years.
The Cognitive Neuroscience Section of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke proposes to continue its cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of cerebral metabolism in frontal lobe dementias and atypical basal ganglia disorders. These studies include repeated assessments of neuropsychological and brain anatomical and metabolic function in subjects with these important and possibly related brain disorders.
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a disorder of the nervous system of unclear cause. In MSA there is degeneration (progressive loss) of nerve cells in several brain and spinal cord regions. The result is a variety of symptoms, from physical (parkinsonism, ataxia, incoordination, falls, slowness) to autonomic (fainting, bladder incontinence, sexual dysfunction) to sleep problems (dream enactment, sleep apnea). This research aims to help us better understand the patterns and timing of nerve degeneration relatively early in the disease, and how this affects symptoms and progression. For instance: 1. Does MSA affect certain nerves that stimulate heart pumping? If so, does the severity of loss of heart nerves affect disease progression and survival? 2. It is thought that MSA does not affect memory and thinking much, unlike other diseases (such as Parkinson's). Is this accurate? Is there loss of nerves that transmit acetylcholine (a neurochemical important in mental functioning)? 3. What can we learn about mood and sleep in MSA, through visualizing the serotonin system in the brain? How does this relate to symptoms that subjects report in these often underappreciated areas? To answer these and other questions, investigators will take images of specific nerves in the brain and heart using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans. Such imaging gives us information that cannot be obtained from MRIs and CT scans. We will measure the levels of several nerve cell types: serotonin, acetylcholine, and norepinephrine. Subjects will also have many standardized assessments including quality-of-life and symptom assessments, neurological examination, autonomic assessments, neuropsychological assessments, coordination tests, and even assessments of vision and sense of smell. By pooling these results from many MSA patients, and comparing with other diseases (such as Parkinson's disease) we hope to gain a better understanding of what is happening early in MSA. Such knowledge could be very valuable in future efforts to develop better therapies in this rare disease.
This study is an observational, prospective genetic study. It aims to obtain DNA for research and testing from patients with PSP, CBS, MSA, and related neurological conditions and their families. Up to 1,000 adults who have been clinically diagnosed with PSP, CBS, MSA, or related neurological conditions will be enrolled. The study intervention involves sequencing of participant blood samples using non-CLIA-approved whole genome sequencing at the National Institutes of Health. Pathogenic variants that are deemed possibly related to these conditions will be confirmed using CLIA-approved testing. The study involves minimal risk to participants.