Active clinical trials for "Parkinson Disease"

Background: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare neuro-degenerative disease, counted among atypical parkinsonism (AP). Medical treatment and rehabilitation are extremely limited in AP, therefore it would be very useful to find new ways to improve motor and non motor symptoms in PSP. The Brainway Deep Transcranial magnetic stimulation (DTMS) is a new technology of TMS using a particular coil, i.e. H-coil, able to stimulate deeper regions of the brain. Only few studies in literature have evaluated the efficacy of DTMS in Parkinson's Disease and parkinsonism; in particular in PSP patients, a case report showed an improvement in language.

This project is investigating whether a home-based exercise program will reduce depression in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Although Pilates has been proposed as a useful rehabilitation strategy in PD, research on its feasibility and potential effects on the motor symptoms and balance with this population is scarce. Some works have included Pilates as part of combined exercise session interventions, but information concerning their specific effects was not provided. Under these circumstances, this study aims at identifying the effects of adding Pilates as part of a conventional exercise rehabilitation program on the motor symptoms and static balance of PD persons. Participants (n=15) were assigned to a Pilates (PG) or to a conventional exercise group (CG) and performed one land-based and one water-based exercise session per week for 14 weeks. The MDS-UPDRS and a stabilometer were used to assess the impact of the intervention on the participant´s motor symptoms and static balance.

The investigators propose a randomized control trial to evaluate long term effects and effectiveness of Moore Balance Brace (MBB) ankle foot orthoses (AFO) in reducing risk of falling in older adults. Primary Endpoints • Characterize the impact of MBB AFO on balance, gait, risk of falling, frailty status, and adverse events Secondary Endpoints • Characterize the Impact of MBB AFO on spontaneous daily physical activities • Characterize the feasibility of the MBB AFO device on patient adherence, acceptability, user-friendliness, and perception of benefit for daily usage

Parkinson's disease onset is clinically defined as the appearance of motor symptoms including akinesia, tremor and hypertonia. Several studies have shown that motor symptoms occur when at least 50 % of dopaminergic neurons are lost. However, there are evidence suggesting that the level of dopaminergic denervation is not homogenous at the time of diagnosis. Some patients have a higher level of dopaminergic loss at disease onset indicating the existence of compensation mechanisms. The aim of this study is to decipher how the metabolism of dopamine is involved in this compensation with a focus on the polymorphism of the COMT gene. This gene is expressed according to two variant: (i) COMT H that encodes a form of the enzyme with a high level of activity and (ii) COMT L that encode a form of the enzyme with a low level of activity. Thus, there are 3 possible genotypes in the population: (i) COMT HH associated with an increased degradation of dopamine, (ii) COMT LL associated with a decreased degradation of dopamine and (iii) COMT HH (intermediary between COMT HH and COMT LL). The hypothesis is that this polymorphism of the COMT gene may participate to compensation mechanisms in early PD. Patients with COMT HH genotype may have an earlier motor symptoms onset than patients with COMT LL genotype. To test this hypothesis, we will recruit 51 patients with de novo PD will be recruited (17 patients for each genotype). Given the distribution of COMT polymorphism in the population, a maximum sample of 76 patients will be screened to recruit 17 patients for each genotype. Clinical evaluation will include MDS-UPDRS, Non Motor Symptoms Scale, segmental symptoms scale, Montreal Cognitive assessment, MMSE, Frontal assessment battery and Parkinson's disease behavioral assessment scale (ECMP). All the patients will have a monophotonic emission tomography with I-123-Ioflupane in order to assess the level of dopaminergic denervation and an MRI scan with resting state study. Cerebrospinal fluid sampling will be optional and will allow direct measurements of dopamine metabolites. The main outcome measure will be the level of dopaminergic denervation on I-123-Ioflupane scans according to COMT genotype, age, gender and severity of motor symptoms on the MDS-UPDRS part 3. If this hypothesis is confirmed, this will allow to test the efficacy of COMT inhibitors in order to delay dopaminergic drugs initiation for PD patients.

The basal ganglia play an important role in motor learning, especially during the consolidation phase of motor learning. This raises the question whether it is possible to sustain learning increments in a neurodegenerative condition such as Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study is to gain knowledge on whether it is possible to relearn skills which are actually affected by PD, such as writing, and determine whether neuroplasticity is possible. In this randomized controlled study, PD patients will either follow intensive writing training or a placebo treatment (stretch and relaxation training) during 6 weeks. The writing training will focus on automatization (withstanding dual task interference), transfer to an untrained task and retention. The placebo program is aimed to reduce stiffness in the upper limbs and has been shown to be ineffective in PD. To date, it is unknown how neural networks change as a result of consolidation after a prolonged period of motor learning in PD. Therefore the second arm of this study will investigate, for the first time, changes in neural connectivity using brain imaging data to elucidate which neuroanatomical regions are involved in consolidation of learning in PD. Finally, DTI and resting state fMRI-analysis will complement insights into the neural changes as a result of learning.

The purpose of this study is to determine if deep brain stimulation can change brain oxygen levels in people with Parkinson's Disease. Measurements will be taken using a non-invasive device while subjects are both on and off their medications, and while their stimulator is in the on and off setting.

This project is investigating whether a home-based exercise program will reduce cognitive decline in patients with Parkinson's disease.

This study will assess the feasibility of using specific criteria to standardize the referral of individuals with Parkinson disease to a group of medical providers known as palliative care specialists. Palliative care specialists provide supportive care to individuals living with serious illnesses. The specialty focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of serious illness.

Dopaminergic drug can have adverse effects leading to potential serious consequences. Therapeutic patient education must promote the understanding of drugs to improve its management. This study tries to evaluate the effect of therapeutic education workshop on Parkinson disease's drug (drug workshop) on the evolution of drug's representations in patients with Parkinson's disease compared to a control group.