Clinical Research Directory

Clinical Trial Evaluating the Impact of an Intensive Rehabilitation Program Combined With Tendon Vibratory Stimulation on Functional Balance in Individuals With Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 1A

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is caused by a genetic abnormality involving the PMP22 gene, resulting in demyelination of the peripheral nerves. Demyelination leads to sensorimotor impairment and causes progressive muscle weakness and tendon contractures, initially affecting the lower limbs. Consequently, individuals with CMT experience balance impairments and gait disturbances, including ankle instability, foot drop, and postural instability, which lead to frequent falls and reduced quality of life. Currently, there is no disease-modifying treatment for CMT. Several rehabilitation approaches have been proposed, including endurance training and muscle strengthening programs, to improve independence in activities of daily living. However, rehabilitation practices for individuals with CMT remain poorly standardized, and there is still a lack of clearly defined rehabilitation protocols, despite broad agreement among healthcare professionals regarding their potential benefits. More recently, noninvasive focal tendon vibration has been investigated in several neurological disorders to improve sensory function, balance, and motor performance. Previous studies suggest that mechanical vibratory stimulation applied to the quadriceps tendon may induce sustained improvements in postural control and lower-limb muscle strength. The present study aims to evaluate a rehabilitation program combined with tendon vibratory stimulation. The objective is to compare the effectiveness of a short-term (2-week), intensive multidisciplinary rehabilitation program focused on balance with different types of focal tendon vibration, in order to better address balance impairments and their associated complications in individuals with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Identification of Novel Biomarkers in Early Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1A Disease

This is a 2-year follow-up study of a cohort of 35 CMT1A patients and 20 healthy volunteers. The main objective is identifying prognostic markers for CMT1A using multi-omics analysis. The study is recruiting subjects between the ages of 10 and 30. The most common inherited neuropathy is Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A), caused by a duplication of the gene expressing PMP22. CMT1A patients develop symptoms in early childhood with variable progression and there is no established therapy until now. Therapy must start in childhood, before peripheral nerves degenerate. However, we lack easily obtainable biomarkers in early disease stages. In CMT-MODs, we will identify disease and prognostic biomarkers in young CMT1A patients.

Tools for Therapeutic Evaluation in Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 1A: Outcome Measures and Biomarkers

This is a 2-year follow-up study of a cohort of 60 CMT1A patients. The objective is to identify markers allowing to better understand the phenotypic variability observed on patients with CMT1A, to identify predictive markers of the disease's progression and to provide validated measurement tools that can be used as outcome measures in future clinical trials.