Active clinical trials for "Dystonia"

The purpose of the protocol is to assess the long term safety of repeat treatment cycles of Dysport® 500 U using 2 mL dilution scheme for the treatment of Cervical Dystonia. This is an extension study to study A-TL-52120-169 (hereafter referred to as Study 169).

This study is exploring a new experimental procedure in dystonia called repetitive transcranial magnetic brain stimulation (TMS) combined with rehabilitation. The purpose of the study is to determine whether repetitive TMS is effective as a treatment to reduce symptoms in dystonia as demonstrated by improved motor performance.

Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. This disease is very heterogeneous and can have many causes. Current treatments (drugs, pallidal stimulation) improve primary generalized dystonias; however they are ineffective for focal dystonias following brain damage. Cortex stimulation is a present and effective technique used in the treatment of chronic pain and could represent an interesting strategy to treat focal dystonias. This is the aim of the present study.

The investigators wish to establish on a small scale the effectiveness of adding the physiotherapy programme developed by Jean-Pierre Bleton to the present standard treatment for cervical dystonia with a view to undertaking a larger UK-wide trial looking at overall cost-effectiveness. Specifically, the investigators wish to establish: Whether this specific physiotherapy program for cervical dystonia improves patient outcomes in terms of neck position, pain, disability, and quality of life compared to simple physiotherapy advice? What is the minimal clinically important change in the new CDIP-58 quality of life measure for cervical dystonia from a patient's perspective that could then be used to plan a definitive trial of this technique? What are the economic implications of the specialized physiotherapy programme?

Ataxia-Telangiectasia A-T is a neurodegenerative disorder of the cerebellum, manifesting with ataxia, as well as extrapyramidal features. Treatment of A-T is discouraging, since no treatment seems to change the course of disease, but improvement can be achieved by symptomatic treatment of the bothersome movement disorder . While various dopaminergic agents are occasionally used, reports of benefit are rather sparse and anecdotal. Amantadine, a well known drug used in influenza as well as movement disorder of Parkinson, has been proved to improve various other types of movement disorder as ataxia, chorea, dystonia, akinesia and attention span. The purpose of this study is to investigate weather amantadine sulphate improves ataxia and the movement disorder (bradykinesia, parkinsonism, dystonia, chorea), as well as the general well being in patients with A-T.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of injections of Botox (botulinum toxin type A) for the treatment of chronic neck pain. Botox is an approved treatment for patients with cervical dystonia. Cervical dystonia is a chronic condition characterized by involuntary movements of the neck that are often painful. In this study, the response from Botox in patients with neck pain not associated with cervical dystonia will be compared to the pain response in patients with cervical dystonia.

The purposes of this study are: to determine if bilateral pallidal deep brain stimulation results in improvement in neck postures/movements; to determine if bilateral pallidal deep brain stimulation results in improvement in quality of life; and to document the adverse effects of surgery in patients with cervical dystonia.

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in treating primary generalized dystonia. Patients with dystonia have muscle spasms that cause uncontrolled twisting and repetitive movement or abnormal postures. Medical therapies are available, but not all patients get adequate relief from the abnormal movements or the pain associated with them. DBS is a surgical procedure that interrupts neuronal circuits in the Gpi and STN, areas of the basal ganglia of the brain that do not work correctly in patients with dystonia. The surgery results in decreased movement and therefore may lessen patients' symptoms and pain. Patients 7 years of age and older with generalized dystonia that does not respond to medical treatment may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with blood and urine tests, chest x-ray, and an electrocardiogram in patients 35 years of age or more. Participants undergo the following tests and procedures: Magnetic resonance imaging. MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images of the brain. The patient lies on a table that is moved into the scanner (a narrow cylinder), wearing earplugs to muffle loud knocking and thumping sounds that occur during the scanning process. The procedure usually lasts about 45 to 90 minutes, during which the patient is asked to lie still for up to 15 minutes at a time. Transcranial magnetic stimulation. This procedure maps brain function. A wire coil is held on the scalp, and a brief electrical current is passed through the coil, creating a magnetic pulse that stimulates the brain. During the stimulation, the patient may be asked to tense certain muscles slightly or perform other simple actions. The stimulation may cause a twitch in muscles of the face, arm, or leg, and the patient may hear a click and feel a pulling sensation on the skin under the coil. During the stimulation, electrical activity of muscles is recorded with a computer, using electrodes attached to the skin with tape. Neurologic evaluation. Before and after DBS, the patient's dystonia, including voice strength and difficulty swallowing, are measured with a standardized rating scale. DBS treatment. Patients are randomly assigned to have electrodes implanted in either the Gpi or STN area of the basal ganglia. The electrodes are what stimulate the brain in DBS therapy. Before surgery, a frame is secured to the patient's head, and an MRI scan is done. DBS involves making two small incisions and two small holes in the skull, opening the lining around the brain, locating the Gpi or STN, securing the electrodes in place and connecting them to the pulse generator that is placed under the skin below the collar bone. Additionally, during the surgery, the patient is asked to move certain muscles. The muscle activity is recorded to gain a better understanding of the physiology of movement. After surgery, computed tomography (CT) and MRI scans are done to confirm placement of the electrodes. Stimulation and evaluation. After surgery, patients' movements are evaluated during and after stimulation. The changes in movement and function are videotaped and scored according to a rating scale. The optimal stimulation settings are determined and the stimulators are adjusted accordingly. Follow-up. Patients are evaluated, with videotaping, at 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after surgery, and the stimulators are adjusted as needed.

This study was conducted to assess the combine role of Physiotherapy by providing task specific trainings and Botulinum Toxin Type A in improving the functional outcomes of upper limb in post stroke patients with focal hand dystonia.

The purpose of this research study is to investigate how the brain and motor behavior changes in individuals with dystonia and other involuntary movement disorders and healthy individuals over time with exercise training.