Active clinical trials for "Parkinson Disease"

Parkinson's disease is characterized by loss of neurons that produce dopamine in a region of the brain called the substantia nigra. In the early stages of the disease, the disease responds to agents that replace dopamine such as levodopa. Patients with more advanced disease have wide fluctuations in their response to levodopa, exhibiting on and off periods. This is due to continued degeneration of neurons. Recombinant-methionyl human glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (r-metHuGDNF or GDNF) is a neurotrophic factor that promotes survival of dopaminergic neurons. This is a protein produced by recombinant technology that is almost identical to the naturally produced factor. Results of animal studies indicate that GDNF has the potential to benefit patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. The purpose of this clinical trial is to determine whether GDNF works to relieve symptoms of advanced Parkinson's disease. The study will also test the delivery of GDNF using a catheter implanted into the putamen, the area of the brain associated with Parkinson's disease, and an infusion pump that is implanted under the skin in the abdomen or chest. GDNF will be placed into the pump and delivered through the catheter to the brain. The purposes of this study are to determine the potential benefits and side effects of GDNF. The performance and safety of the catheter/infusion pump system will also be assessed. The study will last for 6 months. Subjects will undergo neurological testing, computerized gait assessment and neurological imaging.

The primary aim of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of quetiapine (Seroquel) for the treatment of psychosis and/or agitation in patients with primary dementia complicated by coexistent parkinsonism, or patients with Parkinson's disease with dementia [PDD] who have episodes of agitation or psychosis. The secondary aim is to determine the safety and tolerability, particularly the influence on parkinsonism, of quetiapine when used to treat psychosis and/or agitation in patients with dementia complicated by coexistent parkinsonism.

The purpose of this trial is to determine if patients who received embryonic dopamine cell implant surgery showed significantly greater improvement in their Parkinson's disease than a control group undergoing the placebo treatment, and to determine if the cell implant surgery was more effective in younger or older patients.

The aim of this investigation is to explore the effect of reducing conventional pulse width of stimulation on known adverse effects of Subthalamic nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation (STN DBS) treatment such as; slurring of speech, gait impairment, and unsteadiness. This investigation is designed such that each of 16 patients (who have all had chronically implanted DBS systems), will be assessed using conventional (DBS-60µs) and short (DBS-30µs) pulse width DBS, in a randomised order.

In the present study, the investigators propose a rehabilitative program for Parkinson' disease based on the combination of a neurocognitive method, i.e. visual sensory cues, with a neurophysiological method, i.e. RMP, in a randomized controlled trial with cross-over. The rationale herein was that the RMP may globally improve patients in terms of trunk control, motor performance, muscle tone, endurance and so on, predisposing them to improvement of the gait rhythm and automaticity induced by use of the visual external cues. The primary aim of this pilot, randomized, controlled, trial with crossover was to establish whether a 8-week exercise program focused at improving gait in people with PD was more effective than a same-duration program of standard physiotherapy. The secondary aim was to evaluate the effect on the disease's severity. At this aims investigators used a quantitative 3D motion analysis system to evaluate gait parameters and UPDRS-II and UPDR-III and H-Y staging to evaluate the severity of the disease. The investigators hypothesised that the both exercise programs will improve standard physiotherapy, however the proposed program will yield better improvements for the people with PD.

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of a Nordic and free walking training program on clinical, functional and biomechanical parameters of gait, in people with PD. Outcomes: Motor symptoms: Staging and severity of PD, balance, walking functional mobility, self-selected walking velocity, and rehabilitation index. Non-Motor symptoms: Cognitive function, depressive symptoms, and quality of life (QL). Outcomes Biomechanics: Kinematic parameters (spatiotemporal and dynamic stability of walking) and neuromuscular parameters (amplitude of the electromyography signal, initial and final activation threshold, activation time and co-contraction index, of the following muscles: Vastus Lateralis (VL), Biceps Femoris (BF), Tibialis Anterior (TA), Gastrocnemius Medialis (GM).

Parkinson's disease is a progressive, degenerative neurological disease associated with profound changes in the quality of life of its survivors. Recent evidence has demonstrated the potential use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to modulate cerebral excitability and movement control in neurological chronic conditions. However, few studies have investigated the effects of tDCS on postural control in patients with Parkinson's disease. This study aims to investigate the effect of bihemispheric tDCS on postural control in people with Parkinson's disease. Participants will be randomized to receive a single session of anodal and sham bihemispheric tDCS (7 days between each type of stimulation). Primary clinical outcome (balance) will be collected before and immediately after tDCS. The data will be collected by a blind examiner to the treatment allocation.

The study is designed to assess the effects of cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise on motor skill learning in Parkinson patients. Specifically, the investigators examine whether a single bout of moderate-intense aerobic exercise, performed immediately following motor skill practice, facilitates motor memory consolidation. In this experimental trial, participants will be randomly allocated to either an intervention group (motor skill practice + aerobic exercise) or control group (motor skill practice + seated rest).

The primary objective of this study is to determine the recommended dose and evaluate the effect of KW-6356 on motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease and the primary endpoint is the change from baseline in Movement disorder society-unified Parkinson's disease rating scale(MDS-UPDRS) partIII score between KW-6356 and placebo in patients with Parkinson's disease on treatment with Levodopa-containing preparations as an adjunctive therapy.

Forced cadence cycling (FCC) in which individuals with Parkinson's Disease (PD) pedal with external augmentation at 80-90 revolutions per minute (rpm) has demonstrated significant motor improvement in prior clinical trials. These studies required either a tandem bicycle with second rider or an expensive motorized bicycle, making this therapy inaccessible to most patients. In this pragmatic open-label before and after pilot study investigators examine implementation and effectiveness of (RCC) without tandem or motor augmentation and in a community-based setting. Approximately 30 participants will be recruited to participate in 24 one-hour rapid-cadence spin classes in YMCAs over 8 weeks. Primary outcomes will examine implementation of the intervention and secondary outcomes will examine effectiveness against a historical comparison group.