Active clinical trials for "Brain Diseases"

This is a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of MHE in patients with cirrhosis using rifamycin SV-MMX 600mg BID vs placebo for 30 days with PK, safety, microbiota, brain function and brain MRI endpoints.

The goal of this study is to characterize the ability and related brain profiles of children with Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) - Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) at 9 years old. The main questions it aims to answer are: Compare executive function, attention, social cognition, behaviour, anxiety, self-esteem, and peer problems between children with NE-TH and matched peers without NE. Compare brain volumes, cortical and subcortical morphology, white matter microstructure, and myelination between children with NE-TH and matched peers without NE. Evaluate the associations of perinatal risk factors and structural brain integrity with neuropsychological deficits to inform about the potential aggravating and protective factors for neuropsychological functioning. Participants will complete one study visit to perform standardized evaluations and a brain MRI. Parents of participants will be invited to complete a series of questionnaires during this study visit or at a moment of their choice virtually.

Neonatal hypoxic ischemic (HI) injury is an unpredictable neurologic injury with devastating, long term consequences for parents who are expecting a normal child. Hypothermia for 72 hr within 6 hrs of birth improves the combined outcome of death or severe disability, and hypothermia is now standard of care in tertiary centers throughout the world. However, approximately 50% of infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) treated with hypothermia still have adverse neurologic outcomes, due to ongoing neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in spite of hypothermia. Further, the majority of HIE infants are insufficient or deficient in a critical neurosteroid, 25(OH)vitamin D, which has been shown to adversely affect outcome after adult stroke. By adding vitamin D to N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant, the investigators hypothesized that both drugs would increase glutathione (GSH) concentrations in critical brain areas, mitigate continuing oxidative stress after injury during hypothermia and after rewarming, and improve neurodevelopmental outcomes. This is an open-label, non-randomized, escalating dose, pilot trial to evaluate the disposition and safety of NAC in combination with active vitamin D in neonates who present within 6 hrs of hypoxia ischemia/asphyxial event and received moderate hypothermia to 33 degrees C for 72 hours per routine protocol.

TIPS has been used for 20 years, as a means of reducing portal pressure in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension related complications. TIPS proved more effective than alternative treatments in controlling or preventing variceal bleeding and refractory ascites. The main drawback of the TIPS procedure is progressive overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE). Three risk factors for post-TIPS OHE have been identified: age over 65 years, history of previous episodes of OHE, and Child-Pugh score equal to or over 10. However, the incidence of post-TIPS OHE in patients fulfilling these criteria remains close to 35 %.

This study is a randomized, controlled trial to assess safety and effectiveness of whole body hypothermia for 72 hours in preterm infants 33-35 weeks gestational age (GA) who present at <6 hours postnatal age with moderate to severe neonatal encephalopathy (NE). The study will enroll infants with signs of NE at 18 NICHD Neonatal Research Network sites, and randomly assign them to either receive hypothermia or participate in a non-cooled control group.

This research proposes to find whether the probiotic lactobacillus GG is safe and well tolerated in patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy. We also want to get insight into the mechanisms of action of LGG.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether AST-120 is safe and effective in the treatment of mild hepatic encephalopathy.

This is a pilot study to test feasibility of collection, preparation and infusion of a baby's own (autologous)umbilical cord blood in the first 14 days after birth if the baby is born with signs of brain injury.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a special yogurt can improve performance on certain tests of intelligence and decrease liver inflammation in patients with cirrhosis.

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) has a negative effect on patients' daily functioning. No study has so far investigated the effect of treatment related improvement in cognitive functions on health related quality-of-life (HRQOL). This study was carried out to determine the influence of treatment on psychomotor performance and on HRQOL in patients with MHE. The mean number of abnormal NP tests decreased significantly in patients in treated group compared with patients in untreated group MANOVA for time and treatment, P =.001). Mean total SIP score improved among patients in the treated group after 3 months compared with patients in untreated group after 3 months (MANOVA for time and treatment, P=.002). Improvement in HRQOL was related to the improvement in psychometry. In conclusion, treatment with lactulose improves both cognitive functions and HRQOL in cirrhotic patients with MHE.