Clinical Research Directory

At Home Use of Stimulation Suits for Managing MS Symptoms

This study is being carried out at Multiple Sclerosis (MS) centers to evaluate whether a full-body stimulation suit at home can help people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS) reduce symptoms like spasticity (muscle stiffness) and ataxia (poor coordination), and improve daily functioning. Can pwMS who experience spasticity or ataxia benefit from using a stimulation suit for 6 weeks? Researchers will compare two groups: an intervention group (who will use the suit) and a control group (who will not use the suit). Participants in the intervention group will: * Wear the suit for 6 weeks in total every day or every other day (1 week during their MS center admission and 5 weeks at home). * Receive their usual care in addition to wearing the suit. * Undergo clinical tests at the MS center after 1 week and 6 weeks of stimulation. Participants in the control group will: * Receive their usual care. * Undergo clincial tests at the same time points as the other group.

Efficacy of tDCS in Degenerative Ataxia

Degenerative cerebellar ataxias are a group of rare diseases that cause gradual damage to the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance and coordination. People with these conditions may have difficulty walking, keeping their balance, or coordinating movements. They may also experience vision problems, muscle stiffness, tremors, or changes in behavior, depending on the specific cause of the disease. These disorders can greatly affect independence and quality of life, and unfortunately, there are currently no treatments that can stop or reverse the disease. Most care focuses on managing symptoms with physical therapy and medication. Recently, a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been studied as a possible way to improve movement and thinking in people with ataxia. However, results so far have been mixed, possibly because of differences in disease type, treatment methods, and how improvements are measured. New technologies, such as motion sensors and movement analysis, are helping researchers better measure the effects of treatments on walking, balance, and hand movements in daily life. The goal of the current study is to test whether stimulating the cerebellum with anodal tDCS can improve movement in people with different types of degenerative ataxia. The study will use both standard clinical scales and precise movement analysis to measure changes. In addition, researchers will use brain recordings (EEG) taken before and after stimulation to better understand how tDCS may work in the brain

Structural Validity and Inter-rater Reliabitiliy of the Ataxia Trunk, Lower And Upper Extremity Scale (ATLAS)

Ataxia is a neurological disorder affecting coordination, caused by damage to the cerebellum, brainstem, or related pathways. It can be hereditary (e.g., Friedreich's ataxia) or acquired (e.g., multiple sclerosis, stroke). Though rare, ataxia significantly impacts quality of life and independence. Treatments are limited and mainly focus on multidisciplinary rehabilitation. Accurate assessment is essential, yet current tools like Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) have limitations. This study aims to validate a new scale, named the Ataxia Trunk, Lower And upper extremity Scale (ATLAS), through Rasch analysis, to develop a shorter, reliable version. It will assess internal consistency, construct validity, and inter-rater reliability. For the valitdity part, statistics will be used (1) to see if the different items of the scale are indeed different and complementary to each other, and (2) to compare the results of this scale with other scales already known and valid (SARA, Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS) and Functional Impairment Measurement(FIM)). Secondly, the investigators would like to know whether ATLAS is reliable. In this particular case, the reliability being assessed is inter-rater reliability, i.e. whether all raters give the same score on the items performed by the patient. To carry out such a study, 64 people will be needed to achieve these goals. Each person will complete the 20 items of the ATLAS scale, those of a trunk motor capacity assessment (TIS), and will evaluate his or her functional independence (FIM).

Natural History Study of Leukoencephalopathy With Brainstem and Spinal Cord Involvement and Lactate Elevation (LBSL)

In this study, we will conduct retrospective chart and imaging reviews and prospective longitudinal virtual assessments of individuals with LBSL.