Active clinical trials for "Parkinson Disease"

In this study the aim is to evaluate the outcome of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and continuous intraduodenal levodopa therapy in patients with advanced Parkinson' disease by using Parkinson's KinetiGraph™ device which is a movement and acceleration measuring device. In this study we also evaluate the usability of Parkinson's KinetiGraph™ device by comparing it with written patient diaries.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multisystem neurodegenerative disorder that is increasingly recognized in our ageing population. It is characterized by cardinal clinical features including bradykinesia, tremor, rigidity, and postural instability. For most people with PD, the most serious concern is with the motor system: stiffness, slowness of movement, impaired handwriting and coordination, poor mobility and balance. However, more than half of all people with PD have experienced painful symptoms. Most people experience aching, stiffness, numbness and tingling at some point in the course of the illness. Defazio et al reported that pain may begin at clinical onset of PD or thereafter as a non-motor feature of PD.5 Aching muscles and joints are especially common in PD. Rigidity, lack of spontaneous movement, abnormalities of posture and awkward mechanical stresses all contribute to musculoskeletal pain in PD.

In this online study, investigators will explore the psychosocial burdens of swallowing difficulties in people with Parkinson's Disease. This study is completely virtual, so you can participate from wherever you live in the United States. Participation requires you to complete a one-hour Zoom interview and a brief questionnaire. You will be compensated with a $25 Walmart gift card. To learn more, please use the "send email" feature. Thank you!

It is commonly admitted that social cognition impairment, like deficit in facial emotion recognition or misinterpretation of others' intentions (Theory of Mind), are associated with social behavior disorders. This kind of disorders are observed in Fronto-Temporal Dementia (FTD), Alzheimer's Dementia (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD), with severe deficits in FTD and lighter deficits in AD and PD. One explanation might be that patients apply inappropriate visual exploration strategies to decode emotions and intentions of others. This study aims to test this hypothesis and further to analyse whether different patterns emerge from these pathologies.

The purpose of this research study is to: Collect data to use in the development of a standardized tool for identifying patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) who would benefit from advanced therapies (AT) such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) and drug pumps. Determine the level to which specific activities reflect with quality of life in individuals with PD. Obtain feedback from individuals with Parkinson's disease and clinicians on the usability of the system.

Symptoms of blood pressure dysregulation, impaired swallowing and digestion are common amongst parkinson patients. The overall aim of this study is to examine blood pressure regulation and esophageal motility and gastric emptying in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. The investigators hypothesize that - compared to age-matched controls - PD patients display an altered regulation of blood pressure, altered gastroesophageal motility, and delayed gastric emptying. These symptoms occur already early in the disease process, but aggravate with progression of the disease. The investigators will perform a 7-day blood pressure measurement, measurement of central blood pressure and pulse wave velocity, assessment of pulse variability, Schellong tests to assess orthostatic function, high resolution manometry assessments during swallowing acts, and a 13C-sodium octanoate breath test to assess gastric emptying, in 18 PD patients (9 each Hoehn&Yahr stages 1,2) and 12 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Results will be interpreted in relation to the severity of PD motor symptoms. The investigators anticipate that blood pressure dysregulation and gastroesophageal motility disturbances will be present only in PD subjects, but not in matched controls without neurological disorders and without any extrapyramidal motor signs. Furthermore, the investigators expect to find an association between motor impairment and the severity of these autonomic symptoms, however, that according to the Braak staging, subtle disturbances must already be present in the early stages of PD.

The study intends to collect data on gastrointestinal symptoms (swallowing disorders, heartburn, feeling of fullness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea) and on patient satisfaction under everyday practice conditions after changing treatment to Neupro® transdermal patch in patients suffering from idiopathic Parkinson´s Disease with gastrointestinal symptoms while being treated with oral antiparkinson drugs. The objective of the study is to ascertain whether switching therapy to Neupro® transdermal patch can provide any relief in gastrointestinal symptoms.

The purpose of this study is to learn if a new brain imaging technology called DaTscan can detect subtle changes in the brain that are similar to those seen in early Parkinson's disease (PD). The results of this study may provide more information about a possible association between mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and PD. The objectives of this study are to define and describe a group of approximately 7,122 mTBI subjects and 7,122 subjects without mTBI (mTBI-) seen in the Emergency Rooms of NorthShore University HealthSystem during the years 2006-2011, and to select from willing eligible subjects a random sample of 100 mTBI subjects and 100 mTBI- subjects (of the same age and gender) to undergo written informed consent, neurological examinations, blood drawing for DNA extraction and storage, and DaTscan brain imaging. The investigators will compare the findings from persons who experienced mTBI (cases) to persons without a history of brain injury (mTBI- or "controls").

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disease that can be difficult to diagnose. The clinicopathological studies had demonstrated a 76% accuracy in the clinical diagnosis of PD. At the beginning of PD is difficult for the clinician to distinguish from Parkinsonism Plus Syndromes (PPS) due to the similarity of symptoms and the lack of specific diagnostic tests. Specific biomarkers to help improve the accuracy of diagnosis and to separate these two entities are highly needed The histological hallmark for definite diagnosis of PD is the presence of fibrillar aggregates of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein called Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites. Previous autopsy-based studies have revealed that alpha-synuclein is deposited in the peripheral autonomic nervous system including the enteric nervous system of the alimentary tract, cardiac plexus, adrenal medulla and skin. For this reason, in patients with parkinsonism, an alternative tool could be to demonstrate alpha-synuclein fibrillar aggregates in the skin, allowing early and appropriate diagnosis.

The purpose of this study is to better understand why individuals with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) fall. Understanding the mechanism of gait and balance dysfunction in individuals with PSP may provide us with important early diagnostic tools, allowing for earlier identification of mobility problems and to better evaluate medical therapies aimed at improving motor disability. The investigators will recruit 10 PSP, 10 PD and 10 healthy controls for the study. All subjects will be asked to come to the OHSU clinic at the Center for Health and Healing for an initial screening visit. They will meet with the primary investigator to conduct a brief interview and physical examination. In addition, they will be asked to answer questions regarding current and past medical illness, how often they fall and what kinds of medications they are on. Subjects who agree to participate will come to the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (OCTRI) at OHSU for balance testing. Subjects will be asked to stand or sit on a movable platform with eyes open or closed. Prior to standing on the platform, the investigators will place 6 small sensors on body which are held in place by velcro straps (one on each wrist, ankles, chest and lower back). The platform will then be moved (tilt or slide) while subjects try to keep their balance. During all of the balance tests described above, body movements will be recorded from the sensors on the subjects' body. This data is directly recorded by a computer and analyzed to help us gain better understanding of the subjects' posture and their ability to remain up right.