Active clinical trials for "Parkinson Disease"

The study is designed to assess the effects of aerobic exercise on motor learning in Parkinson patients. Specifically, the investigators examine whether a single bout of moderate intensity aerobic exercise, performed immediately before task practice, facilitates the acquisition and retention of a motor skill. In a cross-over design, participants will be randomly allocated to either the intervention group (aerobic exercise before motor learning) or control group (rest before motor learning).

Parkinson's disease (PD) affects more than 100,000 Canadians and results in symptoms affecting both motor and cognitive (thinking and memory) functions. Parkinson's disease with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) frequently results in development of dementia for which few treatment options exist. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is used to alter activity in the outer regions of the brain and has been shown in previous studies to increase cognitive performance in patients with different disorders. This study will investigate the effectiveness of TMS as a clinical treatment for the cognitive deficits associated with Parkinson's disease. 64 male and female participants between the ages of 50 and 90 will attend eight study visits over a period of 63 to 66 days. This study is a double-blind randomized clinical trial meaning the participant will be assigned by chance to either the TMS-treatment group or the Sham-treatment group. Additionally, a combination of memory and thinking tests and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) will be used to see if there are structural and functional changes within the brain. Genotyping and blood analysis before and after treatment for different biomarkers will also be performed and these data will be compared to the TMS data. Initially, this research will increase knowledge about the effects of TMS on various brain regions. Ultimately, we will be able to determine if TMS can be used as a complementary therapy for PD to improve cognitive performance and to reduce progression into dementia.

This project aims to determine the effects of the HiBalance program on neuroplastic changes in people with mild to moderate Parkinson´s disease. The main hypothesis is that highly challenging exercise will lead to greater gait and balance ability, increased levels of physical activity and an improved health related quality of life. The investigators further hypothesize that neuroplasticity changes will be seen in corresponding areas of the brain, neuropsychological changes on cognitive test measures, and that exercise will inhibit the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the brain through the mediation of neurotrophic factors.

P2B001 is an investigational drug that comprised of low doses of two drugs, pramipexole and rasagiline, which are both approved drugs and routinely used in standard therapy for Parkinson's disease. The two drugs work in two different mechanisms that help each other, so there is a reason to believe that their combined activity will be better than each individual drug, and that lower doses can be used without losing the therapeutic effect. Thus, the development of P2B001 is intended to provide a combination of low doses of these two drugs, in an improved formulation, that is hoped to be more effective in controlling Parkinson's disease symptoms and with less side effects than each of the drugs taken alone or the current available commercial drugs taken together. In a previously completed clinical trial a significant improvement in Parkinson's disease symptoms was seen in patients treated with P2B001 compared to patients that were treated with placebo. In this phase 3 study , the safety and efficacy of P2B001 will be assessed by comparing P2B001 to its individual components pramipexole and rasagiline. This will be done by monitoring the motor and non-motor symptoms, evaluating responses participants provide on questionnaires relating to Parkinson's disease and quality of life that will be completed on every visit. In addition, this study will also compare P2B001 to a marketed drug of pramipexole ER. Approximately 525 patients will participate in this research study and the participation in this study will last between 14 to 18 weeks.

Among the impairments associated to Parkinson's disease, gait disturbance is one of which that has the most negative impact on the independence in daily living activities and quality of life of people living with Parkinson's disease. Despite the considerable amount of research, we have no consensus about the most efficient physiotherapeutic approach to improve the gait disturbance. Mental practice is considered an efficient strategy to improve the motor performance in healthy individuals and people with stroke. However, there is scarce evidence about its therapeutic results to improve the gait performance in people living with Parkinson's disease. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of gait mental practice associated to physical practice to improve the gait performance in people living with Parkinson's disease.

Based on published animal and human studies, ExAblate Transcranial subthalamotomy can be as safe and as effective as any of the surgical treatments within the currently accepted standard of care including radiofrequency lesioning and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). A unilateral lesion of the subthalamic nucleus has shown reduction of contralateral motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). Using ExAblate Transcranial Magnetic Resonance guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MRgHIFU) to create the subthalamotomy has several potential advantages over current therapies including the fact that transcranial lesioning can be performed in a precise manner with simultaneous as well as continuous clinical and radiographic monitoring. If the potential of ExAblate Transcranial subthalamotomy can be realized, it could supplant radiofrequency and radiosurgery techniques and provide a viable alternative procedure for subjects considering DBS.

The purpose of this study is to examine the possibility of a new, non-invasive, non-drug treatment for Parkinson's disease. The treatment involves gentle vibratory stimulation delivered to the fingertips (called 'vibrotactile stimulation'). Along with the treatment, participants will also undergo kinematic testing.

Upper-limb disorders in patients with Parkinson's disease include decreased speed and amplitude of movements, difficulty in sequential tasks, and disrupted execution of fine manipulative hand activities.The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of home-based goal-oriented upper limb intervention in patients with Parkinson's disease.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a rehabilitative approach using breathing and relaxation techniques, and specifically the elongation of the latissimus dorsi muscle according to the Mézières Method to improve balance and posture and relief pain in patients with Parkinson's disease.

The objective of this study is to understand the bioenergetic impairments that underlie Parkinson's disease (PD) and evaluating treatments that may improve abnormal mitochondrial function that is present in PD. The hypothesis is that repeated oral dosing of UDCA will result in increased brain ATP levels in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). The specific aims are 1.) to measure plasma UDCA levels in individuals with PD at baseline and after four weeks of repeated high doses of oral UDCA (50mg/kg/day) and 2.) to measure cortical bioenergetic profile and ATPase activity (as ascertained through MRS) in those with PD at baseline and at four weeks after repeated high doses of oral UDCA (50mg/kg/day) simultaneously. Secondary aims are to characterize oral UDCA pharmacokinetics and develop a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model to characterize the relationship between peripheral measurements of UDCA (and associated conjugates) and peripheral measures and/or central (brain) bioenergetic measurements.