Active clinical trials for "Parkinson Disease"

This study is designed to determine if magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures can be used to diagnose and monitor the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) while distinguishing between PD and parkinsonisms [conditions that are PD look-a-like diseases such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) or multiple system atrophy (MSA)] when combined with changes in certain proteins in body fluids that are related to iron (Fe).

The purpose of this study is to measure motor fluctuations and dyskinesias in patients with Parkinson's disease using movement sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes) to determine if this is a feasible measure to use in addition to self report, and eventually the goal will be to replace self report with a more reliable measure such as movement sensors.

The cause of Parkinson's disease (PD) is unknown and a reliable biomarker to identify PD patients as early as possible is urgently needed. Nerve cells near the nose and in the gut become first affected in PD and patients frequently suffer from loss of smell and constipation. The nose and gut harbor very high amounts of bacteria that influence our body functions in many ways, even in the brain. The investigators are examining a possible role of bacteria of the nose and gut in the pathogenesis of PD. This may lead to a better understanding of what PD causes and may open new possibilities for diagnosis and treatment. The investigators will recruit 100 PD patients and 100 control subjects. The investigators will characterize all subjects carefully with respect to clinical symptoms. The investigators will collect bacterial samples from the nose, mouth and stool of these subjects. Using modern genomic techniques the investigators will read out the genetic code of all bacteria contained in these samples and will be able to identify which species of bacteria are present in the samples. Using complex cluster computing the investigators will compare the pattern of bacterial species between PD patients and controls and look for specific abnormalities in PD patients. If the investigators can detect specific differences of bacterial communities between PD patients and controls this may point to a role of bacteria as a cause of PD. Since there are many ways to influence bacterial communities pharmacologically (antibiotics, probiotics) it will be possible to investigate whether these therapies could alleviate or even reverse PD symptoms. Furthermore, the investigators would be able to use these differences as a biomarker which would enable us to develop a quick screening test for bacterial samples that may reveal whether a person has PD or not. By doing this study the investigators will learn whether bacteria play a role in the development of PD and whether the investigators can use them as a biomarker or therapeutic target. So hopefully the investigators will be able in the future to better understand what causes PD, how the investigators can diagnose it as early as possible and how to cure patients from PD.

The purpose of this study is to collect kinematic motion data from subjects with movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET) to develop and validate algorithms for quantifying motor symptoms such as tremor, bradykinesia (slowed movements), dyskinesias (sudden, involuntary movements), gait, and balance during standardized tasks and/or activities of daily living.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of a portable motion sensor-based system designed to assist with deep brain stimulation (DBS) programming sessions for Parkinson's disease patients.

The purpose of this study is to assess the performance of AclarusDx™, an investigational blood test detecting gene expression information, and intended to help physicians in making an Alzheimer's Disease diagnosis in patients having memory impairments.

This is an observational, non-interventional and retrospective study in patients with advanced PD who have been treated with Rotigotine (Neupro®) as prescribed by physicians according to usual clinical practice in Spain. The Primary Objective will be to evaluate Non-Motor Symptoms (NMS) in advanced PD patients who have been treated with Rotigotine for at least 6 months.

Background: - Parkinson's disease causes slow movements, stiffness, and tremor. It can get worse over time, and in some cases can lead to dementia. Researchers are interested in how dementia affects the brain in people with Parkinson's disease. They will study both people with Parkinson s disease and healthy volunteers. They will give tests of thinking and memory, and look at brain activity using imaging studies. This may provide more information on what parts of the brain are not working well in people who have dementia related to Parkinson's disease. Objectives: - To use imaging studies to see what parts of the brain do not work well in people with dementia caused by Parkinson's disease. Eligibility: Individuals at least 40 years of age who have Parkinson s disease. Healthy volunteers at least 40 years of age. Design: Participants will be screened with a medical history and physical exam. This study requires two outpatient visits over 2 days. Participants will have tests of thinking, memory, and concentration. They will answer questions and fill out questionnaires. The tests will also look at how quickly they can move and handle small objects. The tests will take about 3 hours. Participants will have magnetic resonance imaging to study the brain. Functional MRI (fMRI) can show what parts of the brain are used when performing a task. Participants will respond to images on a computer screen during fMRI. Treatment will not be provided as part of this study.

This study is looking for healthy controls and patients with Parkinson's (PD) to perform an MR scan. The neurochemical profile of the SN of patients with PD as measured by high field MRS will differ from that of healthy controls, in that glutathione will be lower due to oxidative stress, lactate will be higher due to mitochondrial dysfunction, the gliosis markers myo-inositol and glutamine will be higher due to inflammation (glial activation) and N-acetylaspartate and glutamate will be lower due to neuronal loss/damage. There will be a relationship between neurochemical changes and disease severity.

The investigators plan to conduct a first-stage experiment by recruiting ten subjects, including five PD patients and five non-PD patients. In the beginning, the information collected by the portable motion detector is used to compare the difference in the activities performed by PD and non-PD patients. Besides, the algorithm will be developed to identify the gait patterns of PD patients. Once the system detects the abnormal gaits, such as shuffling and festinating steps or freezing of gait, auditory cues will be given to the PD patients and caregivers by their sides. It can help the patient to maintain normal gait and improve the effectiveness of rehabilitation, as well as preventing falls in daily activities. Moreover, in case of accident falls, the real-time fall detection mechanism alerts the nearest caregiver for instant support and delivers this information to the remote family members and medical personnel. After that, a second-stage experiment will be carried out by recruiting another five PD patients. By comparing the gait patterns identified by the system against those identified manually by the staff, the performance of the proposed system on fall prevention will be examined. For the patients and their family members, the developed system enhances the patients' safety in their daily activities. As for the medical personnel, it serves as an affordable tool that benefits the rehabilitation of PD patients in an easy manner.