Active clinical trials for "Motor Neuron Disease"

Specific aims: Aim 1. To determine the incidence of hypoventilation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients. Aim 2. To identify the clinical characteristics and risk factors associated . Aim 3. To determine the effect of early intervention with nocturnal NIV on the prognosis of ALS patients.

The purpose of this study is to see if escitalopram (Lexapro) improves symptoms of major depressive disorder in patients who have ALS or MS.

This is a study to evaluate the safety and clinical effects of 4 oral doses of TCH346 compared to placebo in patients with mild or mild to moderate stages of ALS.

This study will examine the effectiveness of G-CSF in treating patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - a fatal neurological degenerative disease that causes adult-onset, progressive motor neurons loss in the spinal cord, brain stem and motor cortex. Patients develop progressive wasting and weakness of both upper and lower limbs, bulbar and respiratory muscles. Usually death from respiratory failure typically is within 3-5 years of diagnosis. Although there are various treatments for ALS, riluzole is the only approved treatment to delay the disease progression. G-CSF is an approved drug that is used to increase white blood cell counts. Moreover, G-CSF and its receptor are expressed by neurons. It acts anti-apoptosis by activating several protective pathways, stimulates neuronal differentiation of adult neural stem cells in the brain, and improves long-term recovery. G-CSF is a novel neurotrophic factor, and a highly attractive candidate for the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions such as ALS. Patients 18 to 65 years of age who have had mild to moderately severe ALS for 0.5 to 2 years of duration may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a medical history and possible review of medical records, physical examination, blood test, urine and stool analyses, electrocardiogram, electrophysiological examination, neurological imaging and, for women, a pregnancy test. Participants will have drug therapy according to randomized number. One group receives G-CSF while other group receives placebo. All of the participants receive riluzole treatment. For the procedure, patients are given a medication to lessen anxiety and any discomfort. Patients receive drug injections every 3 months for 5 days. The G-CSF dosage is 5μg/kg/day. Physical examination and interview, Appel ALS scale and ALS-Functional Rating Scale will be done in 14, 28 days and 3, 6, 9, 12 months. Electrophysiological examination will be tested per 3 months. Blood samples will be collected on treat 5, 14, 28 days and 3, 6, 9, 12 months.

Evaluate the efficacy of riluzole 50-mg bid defined by comparing the percentage of riluzole-treated subjects who experienced death, permanently assisted ventilation (PAV) or tracheostomy, to a group of recent historical controls for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of 60mg of MCI-186 via intravenous drip once a day in patients with ALS whose severity is classified as grade III, based on the changes in the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R) scores after 24 weeks administration in double-blind, placebo-controlled manner. And in addition, this study will be performed to examine the safety of MCI-186 to ALS patients who met severity classification III.

The objective of this study is to compare two combinations of drugs, minocycline and creatine or celecoxib and creatine, in a phase II trial designed to determine which combination is more effective for ALS.

The primary objective of this study is to confirm the efficacy of 60 mg of MCI-186 via intravenous drip once a day in patients with ALS based on the changes in the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R) scores after 24 weeks administration in double-blind, placebo-controlled manner. And in addition, this study will be performed to examine the safety of MCI-186 to ALS patients.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the use of sodium valproate is effective in slowing the disease progression in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

The purpose of this study is to compare and evaluate the safety of AVP-923 (dextromethorphan/quinidine) for the treatment of emotional lability in ALS patients.