Active clinical trials for "Sclerosis"

Background: - Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) is a disorder in which nerve cells in the brain that control movement degenerate. The cause of PLS is not known, but some research has suggested that environmental factors that produce oxidative stress trigger PLS in people who carry certain genes. Oxidative stress is caused when the body makes chemicals called "free radicals" faster than its natural systems can break them down. Oxidative stress can be triggered by exposures to chemicals related to the bodily effects of lead, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and psychological stress. Chemicals produced by the body during oxidative stress can be measured in the blood and urine. Researchers are interested in studying the physical, neurological, and chemical effects of PLS to better understand the effects of oxidative stress on the disorder. Objectives: - To study the relation of oxidative stress to the diagnosis and progression of motor neuron disease. Eligibility: - Individuals 20 years of age or older who have been diagnosed with PLS, and have had symptoms of PLS for at least 5 but not more than 8 years and been previously enrolled in 01-N-0145 Screening: Neurologic Disorders with Muscle Stiffness Design: Participants will have an initial study visit and three follow-up visits. Each visit will require approximately 3 days of testing at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. As part of this study, participants will have the following tests and procedures: Neurological examination to test muscle strength, sensation, coordination, and reflexes, as well as clarity of speech Tests of memory, attention, concentration, and thinking Surveys on oxidative stress, including questions on life, mood, jobs held, and habit Electromyography to record the electrical activity of muscles Transcranial magnetic stimulation to measure electrical activity translated from their brain to the muscles Blood, urine, and skin biopsy samples for testing and sample collection After the initial visit, participants will have three more visits, once each in the following 3 years.

Significant data from placebo-controlled clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of Rebif in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) with reduction in relapse rate, delay in disability progression, and reduction in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity and accumulation of lesion burden. Multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic neurological diseases, can have diverse effects on the lives of subjects and their families. In controlled clinical trials, clinical measurement in MS has focused on impairments of neurological assessment using Expanded Disability Status Score (EDSS). The assessment of the impact of MS on the non-physical aspect of dysfunction is not often measured, or reported. Furthermore, traditional clinical measures have not been able to assess the effects of neurological illness on quality of life (QoL), which is becoming an increasingly important topic to neurologists treating subjects with varied neurological conditions. This observational, one arm, multicentric study is aimed to assess the usefulness of the Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life Questionnaire (MusiQoL) instrument in comparison with the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 instrument (MSQOL-54 questionnaire) in RMS subjects on Rebif therapy and to assess the effectiveness of Rebif therapy using health related quality of life (HRQoL) measures.

Non-adherence to the treatment regimen is a common problem associated with injectable drugs (e.g. Betaferon) that are used in multiple sclerosis patients. Certain patients omit single injections or even totally discontinue therapy that normally should be long-term. It is therefore crucial to identify the factors which have the most significant effect on regularity of administration of Betaferon and the risk of premature discontinuation of treatment in order to undertake appropriate preventive measures. This study is conducted in routine practice setting and aims to identify those risks. Pre-defined risk factors associated with technical aspects of the treatment, support provided to the patient, stage of the disease and possible adverse effects of the medication are checked on a quarterly basis with a questionnaire method. Monitoring of omitted doses of the prescribed medication (Betaferon) is carried out by the study nurse.

This study is primarily designed to evaluate the impact of AVONEX PEN autoinjector on work capacity of participants with multiple sclerosis (MS) starting on this device. This study will also evaluate as secondary endpoints various patient-reported outcomes over the short-term (1 month), including adherence, treatment satisfaction and convenience, and the long-term (12 and 24 months), including adherence, persistence, quality of life (QOL), treatment satisfaction and convenience. It will also assess health resource utilization by MS participants starting on AVONEX PEN autoinjector, as well as overall safety/tolerability, and will correlate all secondary outcomes with the primary (i.e., work capacity).

Multiple Sclerosis is the first cause of neurological handicap in France. The importance of cognitive disabilities, their evaluation and their impact on patients' life have only been comprehended recently. Immunosuppressants represent new treatments in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) but imply a lot of constraints. This study will evaluate the impact of these treatments on cognitive disabilities, tiredness state, emotion and quality of life in general, on a lengthened period.

The study is planned to evaluate the cognitive functions in subjects with RRMS treated with interferon beta-1a, and its relationship to the fatigue and neurological dysfunction status.

People with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) will use a P300 based brain computer interface (BCI) keyboard to type in assistive technology devices. The results of this study will be compared with a previous study of a P300 BCI keyboard used by healthy volunteers.

The present study aims to assess the adherence to therapy with interferon beta-1a (Rebif®) and at investigating potential factors that are involved in its outcome, in a representative sample of patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), under real life conditions.

This Phase 4 pilot cross-sectional descriptive/exploratory study is to be conducted in clinical practice settings (including MS (Multiple sclerosis) specialty clinics, general neurology practices, or other academic or private practice settings) in the United States to assess the psychometric properties of the ARMS questionnaire in approximately 100 adult patients with MS who are experiencing a confirmed relapse, as identified by the investigator or designee at each site. Neither efficacy nor safety of treatment will be evaluated in this study. The ARMS questionnaire is a 2-part, 2-page survey, with each part comprising 7 questions on 1 page. Part 1 is designed to evaluate the patient's relapse symptoms and how the symptoms affect daily activities and overall function, as well as patient's response to past treatments for previous relapses, as a means of guiding treatment selection. Part 2 is designed to evaluate treatment response in terms of symptom relief and functioning, as well as treatment tolerability. Part 1 of the survey is to be completed when the patient presents with new relapse of MS. Part 2 of the survey is to be completed 1 month (± 1 week) after initiation of treatment for relapse of MS. Treatment for relapse will be at the sole discretion of the investigator.

This is an open-label study of patients with relapsing forms of Multiple Sclerosis designed to assess the biochemical, immunological and pharmacokinetic profiles of a large, actively infusing natalizumab patient population. A duration effect for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) risk associated with natalizumab therapy appears to exist. There is minimal data available to understand this effect at the biochemical and cellular level. The purpose of this study is to gather preliminary data on several parameters to guide in more focused research on the duration effect.