Active clinical trials for "Motor Neuron Disease"

The purpose of this study is to study the transporters of serotonin and dopamine in ALS patients in relation with the clinical phenotype, i.e., patients without stiffness, patients with pyramidal stiffness, patients with mixed (pyramidal and extra pyramidal) stiffness. For such a goal the investigators will use SPECT to compare the binding of two specific tracers in ALS patients and in matched healthy controls.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, sometimes called Lou Gehrig's s Disease, or Maladie de Charcot) is a progressive, usually fatal, neurodegenerative disease caused by the degeneration of motor neurons, the nerve cells in the central nervous system that control voluntary muscle movement. This study will investigate the use of far infrared radiation for the control, management and treatment of ALS.

People with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have reduced connections in the nerve circuits between the brain and the hands. Activating spared nerve circuits is one potential way to improve recovery. The investigators are testing different combinations of physical wrist and hand movements paired with magnetic brain stimulation and electrical spinal cord or nerve stimulation to see the effects on nerve transmission to hand muscles. This is a preliminary study. This study is testing for temporary changes in nerve transmission to hand muscles. There is no expectation of long-term benefit from this study. If temporary changes are seen in this study, then future studies would focus on how to prolong that effect.

The primary objective of this study is to assess the safety and tolerability, with emphasis on the oral cavity, of ROSF (containing riluzole 50mg) in subjects with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) administered twice daily for 12 weeks. Secondary objectives include (1) to record the subject's assessment of any difficulty taking riluzole administered as ROSF and any difficulty taking riluzole in the tablet formulation and (2) to record the relative preference, if any, of subjects and caretakers, for riluzole administered as ROSF vs. the riluzole tablet.

The primary objectives of the study are to estimate and rank-order the longitudinal standardized mean changes over 6 months and over 12 months, for a set of outcome measures administered to participants with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), in order to identify measures that are more sensitive to disease progression than Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R). The secondary objectives of this study are: To evaluate the test-retest reproducibility of each outcome measure; To determine correlations between 6 and 12-month changes in all exploratory measures with 18 and 24-month changes in ALSFRS-R and survival; To assess correlations between/among the various measures; To obtain biological samples in order to identify molecular correlates to the clinical measures and to further characterize previously identified and novel molecular biomarkers of disease progression for incorporation into future clinical studies.

For individuals with neurodegenerative conditions, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinson disease, swallowing impairment (i.e., dysphagia) is a common and serious symptom. Dysphagia places the affected individual at risk for secondary health consequences, including malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia, and negatively affects quality of life. Thickened liquids are commonly recommended for individuals with dysphagia, as they flow more slowly and reduce the risk of entry into the airway. However, there is limited understanding about how changes in liquid thickness modulate swallowing physiology in individuals with neurodegenerative conditions, and previous reports have shown that increased liquid thickness may contribute to the accumulation of residue in the throat. The purpose of this study is to explore swallowing physiology and function in individuals with neurodegenerative conditions, across five levels of liquid thickness (thin, slightly-thick, mildly-thick, moderately-thick, and extremely-thick), and to identify boundaries of "optimal liquid thickness", which maintain airway safety, without contributing to the accumulation of significant residue. Results from this study will help guide the clinical recommendations for thickened liquids in dysphagia management.

To evaluate the correlation between peripheral neurofilament levels and clinical subtypes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and the severity of peripheral motor axonal involvement.

Respiratory failure is the leading cause of death in motor neuron disease (MND) patients. Symptoms of respiratory dysfunction in MND patients include sleep disturbance, excessive daytime somnolence, morning headaches and cognitive changes. Almost all MND patients will develop respiratory problems during the course of their disease. In a small percentage of MND patients, respiratory failure may present as the primary symptom at onset, whereas more commonly it develops later in the disease.

To verify the correlation between TMAO level and the pathogenesis and progression of ALS

The study is being conducted to determine if DPS treatment for people with ALS and hypoventilation is associated with improved survival or diaphragm function. The primary objective of the study is to conduct a multi-center, randomized controlled clinical trial comparing standard of care (control) to diaphragm stimulator treatment with the NeuRx® Diaphragm Pacing System™ (DPS) with respect to survival. The secondary objective of the study is to conduct a multi-center, randomized controlled clinical trial to compare standard of care treatment (control) to DPS in ALS subjects with hypoventilation.