Clinical Research Directory

Clinical and Physiological Studies of Tremor Syndromes

Background: Researchers have some data on how the brain controls movement and why some people have tremor. But the causes of tremor are not fully known. Researchers want to study people with tremor to learn about changes in the brain and possible causes of tremor. Objective: To better understand how the brain controls movement, learn more about tremor, and train movement disorder specialists. Eligibility: People ages 18 and older with a diagnosed tremor syndrome Healthy volunteers ages 18 and older Design: Participants will be screened with: * Medical history * Physical exam * Urine tests * Clinical rating scales * Health questions * They may have electromyography (EMG) or accelerometry. Sensors or electrodes taped to the skin measure movement. Participation lasts up to 1 year. Some participants will have a visit to examine their tremor more. They may have rating scales, EMG, and drawing and writing tests. Participants will be in 1 or more substudies. These will require up to 7 visits. Visits could include the following: * EMG with accelerometry * Small electrodes taped on the body give small electric shocks that stimulate nerves. * MRI: Participants lie on a table that slides into a cylinder that takes pictures of the body while they do simple tasks. * Small electrodes on the scalp record brain waves. * A cone with detectors on the head measures brain activity while participants do tasks. * A wire coil held on the scalp gives an electrical current that affects brain activity. * Tests for thinking, memory, smell, hearing, or vision * Electrodes on the head give a weak electrical current that affects brain activity. * Photographs or videos of movement Participant data may be shared with other researchers.

Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery for Movement Disorders

Background: \- Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an approved surgery for certain movement disorders, like Parkinson's disease, that do not respond well to other treatments. DBS uses a battery-powered device called a neurostimulator (like a pacemaker) that is placed under the skin in the chest. It is used to stimulate the areas of the brain that affect movement. Stimulating these areas helps to block the nerve signals that cause abnormal movements. Researchers also want to record the brain function of people with movement disorders during the surgery. Objectives: * To study how DBS surgery affects Parkinson s disease, dystonia, and tremor. * To obtain information on brain and nerve cell function during DBS surgery. Eligibility: \- People at least 18 years of age who have movement disorders, like Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. Design: * Researchers will screen patients with physical and neurological exams to decide whether they can have the surgery. Patients will also have a medical history, blood tests, imaging studies, and other tests. Before the surgery, participants will practice movement and memory tests. * During surgery, the stimulator will be placed to provide the right amount of stimulation for the brain. Patients will perform the movement and memory tests that they practiced earlier. * After surgery, participants will recover in the hospital. They will have a followup visit within 4 weeks to turn on and adjust the stimulator. The stimulator has to be programmed and adjusted over weeks to months to find the best settings. * Participants will return for followup visits at 1, 2, and 3 months after surgery. Researchers will test their movement, memory, and general quality of life. Each visit will last about 2 hours.

Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery for Focal Hand Dystonia

Researchers want to test a procedure called deep brain simulation (DBS) to treat focal hand dystonia (FHD). A device called a neurostimulator is placed in the chest. It is attached to wires placed in brain areas that affect movement. Stimulating these areas can help block nerve signals that cause abnormal movements. Objectives: To test DBS as treatment for FHD. To learn about brain and nerve cell function in people with dystonia. Eligibility: People ages 18 and older with severe FHD who have tried botulinum toxin treatment at least twice Design: Participation lasts 5 years. Participants will be screened with: Medical history Physical exam Videotape of their dystonia Blood, urine, and heart tests Brain MRI scan Chest X-ray Neuropsychological tests: answering questions, doing simple actions, and taking memory and thinking tests. Hand movement tests Participants will have surgery: A frame fixes their head to the operating table. A small hole is made in the skull. Wires are inserted to record brain activity and stimulate the brain while they do simple tasks. The wires are removed and the DBS electrode is inserted into the hole. The neurostimulator is placed under the skin of the chest, with wires running to the electrode in the brain. They will have CT and MRI scans during surgery. Participants will recover in the hospital for about 1 week. The neurostimulator will be turned on 1 4 weeks after discharge. Participants will have regular visits until the study ends. Visits include: Checking symptoms and side effects MRI Movement, thinking, and memory tests If the neurostimulator s battery runs out, participants will have surgery to replace it. ...

The Effect of Alcohol on Common Tremor Syndromes

The aim of this interventional study is to compare the response to alcohol in patients with essential tremor (ET), essential tremor plus (ETplus), dystonic tremor (DT), tremor associated with dystonia (TaD) and tremor in Parkinson´s disease (PD). The main question to be answered is: • Is there a difference in the objective alcohol responsiveness of patients with ET, DT, TaD and PD? Participants will receive either vodka with rum-flavoured orange juice with a target blood alcohol of 0.4 ‰ or a non-alcoholic rum-flavoured orange juice (vice versa on the second study day). Before and 30, 60 an 120 minutes after the study drink the participants will undergo a clinical examination of the tremor and accelerometry will be performed. Researchers will compare alcohol and placebo in a randomized cross over way to see if the effect of alcohol on tremor exceeds the placebo effect.

Long-read Genome Sequencing for the Molecular Diagnosis of Dystonia

Dystonia is a motor disorder caused by involuntary, intermittent, or sustained muscle contractions, leading to abnormal movements or postures. It can affect any body region and often results in significant functional disability and healthcare burden. Although its familial nature was recognized early on, the advent of high-throughput DNA sequencing has dramatically increased the identification of dystonia-associated genes. Dystonia now encompasses all modes of inheritance-autosomal dominant (e.g., TOR1A, KMT2B), autosomal recessive, X-linked, and mitochondrial-and over 100 genes have been implicated. Many forms involve structural variants (SVs) or copy number variations (CNVs), which are challenging to detect using standard short-read sequencing (srWGS). Molecular diagnosis is essential, ending the diagnostic odyssey and enabling genetic counseling, prognosis, reproductive planning, and-in some cases-targeted therapies. For instance, GNAO1-related dystonia may respond to deep brain stimulation, while dopa-responsive dystonia benefits from levodopa. Despite advances, srWGS has key limitations, especially for detecting repeat expansions, SVs, and phasing alleles. This likely explains the low diagnostic yield in dystonia compared to other neurological disorders, with over 70% of cases remaining unsolved. Long-read sequencing (lrWGS), such as Oxford Nanopore technology, overcomes many of these challenges by reading native DNA fragments thousands of bases long. It enables comprehensive detection of SNVs, indels, SVs, CNVs, methylation changes, and repeat expansions-including known and newly discovered pathogenic expansions (e.g., in NOTCH2NLC). It also allows phasing without parental samples, which is crucial in recessive cases. The investigators propose that lrWGS could significantly increase the diagnostic yield in dystonia, improving patient care, enabling appropriate genetic counseling, and paving the way for personalized treatment strategies.

Role of the Striatal Cholinergic System in the Pathophysiology of Dystonia

Dystonia is defined as a syndrome of sustained muscle contractions resulting in repetitive movements and abnormal postures. DYT1 is the most common form of genetic dystonia, but the link between genomic mutations and phenotypic expression remains largely unknown. Furthermore, secondary forms of dystonia have highlighted the role of the basal ganglia, particularly the putamen in the pathophysiology of the disease. Experimental results in a genetic model of dystonia in rodents suggest that cholinergic inter-neurons (ACh-I) of the putamen play a critical role in the pathological process of plasticity in the cortico-striatal synapse. However, these results have not been demonstrated in humans.

Radiofrequency (RF) Ablation Prospective Outcomes Study for Central Nervous System - RAPID for CNS

The objective of this study is to compile real-world outcomes of Boston Scientific commercially approved radiofrequency (RF) ablation systems used in the central nervous system (CNS) for use in functional neurosurgery.

Vercise™ DBS Dystonia Prospective Study

To compile characteristics of real-world outcomes of Boston Scientific Corporation's commercially approved VerciseTM Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Systems for the treatment of dystonia.

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Retrospective Outcomes Study

The primary objective of this study is to characterize real-world clinical outcomes of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) using retrospective review of de-identified patient records.

Studies of the Variable Phenotypic Presentations of Rapid-Onset Dystonia Parkinsonism and Other Movement Disorders

The purposes of this study are to identify persons with rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism (RDP) or mutations of the RDP gene, document prevalence of the disease, and map its natural history.

A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of VIM0423 in Individuals With Isolated Dystonia

Stride Dystonia is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of VIM0423 in individuals with isolated dystonia. The main objectives of this clinical trial are to determine the following: * Does VIM0423 therapy improve dystonia symptoms compared to placebo? * Is VIM0423 well tolerated in individuals with isolated dystonia? and * Do the therapeutic effects of VIM0423 confer improvements on daily function and quality of life?

Cholinergic Receptor Imaging in Dystonia

Background: Dystonia is a movement disorder in which a person s muscles contract on their own. This causes different parts of the body to twist or turn. The cause of this movement is unknown. Researchers think it may have to do with a chemical called acetylcholine. They want to learn more about why acetylcholine in the brain doesn t work properly in people with dystonia. Objective: To better understand how certain parts of the brain take up acetylcholine in people with dystonia. Eligibility: Adults at least 18 years old who have DYT1 dystonia or cervical dystonia. Healthy adult volunteers. Design: Participants will be screened with a medical history, physical exam, and pregnancy test. Study visit 1: Participants will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain. The MRI scanner is a metal cylinder in a strong magnetic field that takes pictures of the brain. Participants will lie on a table that slides in and out of the cylinder. Study visit 2: Participants will have a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. The PET scanner is shaped like a doughnut. Participants will lie on a bed that slides in and out of the scanner. A small amount of a radioactive chemical that can be detected by the PET scanner will be given through an IV line to measure how the brain takes up acetylcholine. ...

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) MatchMaker

DBS Matchmaker (https://www.dbsmatchmaker.com) is a platform designed to connect clinicians worldwide who are treating rare movement disorders with deep brain stimulation (DBS). It facilitates global collaboration and knowledge sharing to enhance patient care by improving patient selection, counseling, treatment, and outcomes for individuals with movement disorders.

Effects of Stimulation Patterns of Deep Brain Stimulation

The purpose of this study is to measure the effects of non-regular temporal patterns of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on motor symptoms and neural activity in persons with Parkinson's disease (PD), essential tremor (ET), dystonia or multiple sclerosis (MS). These data will guide the design of novel stimulation patterns that may lead to more effective and reliable treatment with DBS. These data will also enable evaluation of current hypotheses on the mechanisms of action of DBS. Improving our understanding of the mechanisms of action of DBS may lead to full development of DBS as a treatment for Parkinson's disease and may lead to future applications of DBS.

Multimodal Investigation of Cortico-Basal Ganglia-Thalamo-Cortical Network Dynamics in Dystonic Patients With Deep Brain Stimulation

The goal of this prospective open label study is to elucidate the pathophysiology of dystonia and to understand how deep brain stimulation (DBS) influences brain networks. The investigators will enroll patients with dystonia implanted with DBS of the Globus Pallidus internus (GPi) with sensing implantable neurostimulators, capable of measuring GPi local field potentials (LFPs). The main questions it aims to answer are: * does DBS influence pallidal LFPs in the long term? * how the basal-ganglia-thalamo-cortical circuit is modified after DBS? * do LFPs changes correlate with clinical improvement? Participants will undergo to serial clinical evaluations, magnetoencephalography (MEG) and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies. Primarily, the data obtained from our study might help in clarifying basic pathological electrophysiological features of dystonia. These features might be secondarily used in future to provide a framework for an effective application of closed-loop DBS in Dystonia.

Cortical-Basal Ganglia Speech Networks

In this research study the researchers want to learn more about brain activity related to speech perception and production.

A Multicenter Pediatric Deep Brain Stimulation Registry

There is limited data on outcomes for children who have undergone deep brain stimulation (DBS) for movement disorders, and individual centers performing this surgery often lack sufficient cases to power research studies adequately. This study aims to develop a multicenter pediatric DBS registry that allows multiple sites to share clinical pediatric DBS data. The primary goals are to enable large-scale, well-powered analyses of the safety and efficacy of DBS in the pediatric population and to further explore and refine DBS as a therapeutic option for children with dystonia and other hyperkinetic movement disorders. Given the current scarcity of evidence available to clinicians, this centralized multicenter repository of clinical data is critical for addressing key research questions and improving clinical practice for pediatric DBS.

Sleep-specific DBS Therapy in Parkinson's Disease

Sleep-wake disturbances are a major factor associated with reduced quality of life of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), a progressive neurological disorder affecting millions of people in the U.S and worldwide. The brain mechanisms underlying these sleep disorders, and the effects of therapeutic interventions such as deep brain stimulation on sleep-related neuronal activity and sleep behavior, are not well understood. Results from this study will provide a better understanding of the brain circuitry involved in disordered sleep in PD and inform the development of targeted therapeutic interventions to treat sleep disorders in people with neurodegenerative disease.

Validity and Reliability of the Hypertonia Assessment Tool (HAT) in Stroke Patients

In this study, the validity and reliability of the Hypertonia Assessment Tool (HAT), which has previously been validated in the pediatric cerebral palsy (CP) population, will be evaluated in adult individuals who have experienced a stroke. The HAT is a specific clinical instrument designed to differentiate subtypes of hypertonia, including spasticity, dystonia, and rigidity. Accurate classification of hypertonia subtypes following stroke is crucial for guiding rehabilitation strategies. However, the HAT has not yet been validated in the adult post-stroke population. This study will be conducted at the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic of SBU Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital. The study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the HAT for use in adults with stroke.

LIFUS For Neurological Disorders

Low intensity focused ultrasound (LIFUS) has the potential to be used as a means of non-invasive neuro-modulation. To this day, the use of LIFUS is under investigation. Studies in healthy subjects have shown that application of LIFUS to the motor region of the brain can mildly decrease neuron excitability in healthy controls. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effects of LIFUS on brain tissue excitability in patients with movement disorders in order to elucidate the therapeutic potential of LIFUS.

Abbott DBS Post-Market Study of Outcomes for Indications Over Time

The purpose of this international study is to evaluate long-term safety and effectiveness of Abbott deep brain stimulation (DBS) systems for all indications, including Parkinson's disease, essential tremor or other disabling tremor and dystonia.

Quantifying Motor Network Dynamics to Predict and Enhance Outcomes in Pediatric Dystonia

The goal of this study is to understand the development and progression of childhood dystonia, a movement disorder, in children. The main questions it aims to answer are: How does the activity of the neural network evolve in children with dystonia in the context of motor development? What are the effects of chronic and active stimulation on cortical and subcortical motor network function in children with deep brain stimulation (DBS)? Participants will: * Undergo noninvasive electrophysiological measurements (EEG, EMG) to quantify neural network activity. They will be tested at rest and during a simple motor reaction task. * Children with DBS will be assessed in the on and off DBS state to assess effects of chronic and active changes in motor network function.

Predicting DBS Outcomes in Dystonia Using Wearable Gait Sensors

This study aims to investigate whether preoperative gait characteristics, measured by wearable sensors, can predict the clinical outcomes of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in patients with dystonia. Participants scheduled for DBS surgery will undergo gait analysis using wearable sensors before the procedure. Clinical assessments, including the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS) and the SF-36 Health Survey, will be conducted preoperatively and postoperatively to evaluate surgical efficacy and quality of life. The study seeks to identify gait biomarkers that correlate with optimal DBS response.

Local Field Potentials in Dystonia

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether local field potential (LFP) signals recorded from the globus pallidus interna (GPi) using the Medtronic Percept™ deep brain stimulation (DBS) device can help optimize DBS programming for people with dystonia. The study will also explore whether LFP patterns can serve as a biomarker of disease activity and predict treatment response. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do LFP peaks in the alpha-theta range reliably correlate with dystonia severity and clinical characteristics? Can LFP-based programming achieve similar or better clinical outcomes compared to traditional programming methods? How do LFP profiles change with stimulation and other treatments such as botulinum toxin or oral medications? Researchers will compare two programming approaches: Traditional programming based on clinical assessment and imaging. LFP-guided programming based on the site and characteristics of LFP peaks Participants will: Undergo DBS surgery for dystonia as part of standard clinical care. Attend regular follow-up visits for DBS programming and outcome assessments. Complete clinical rating scales for dystonia severity, quality of life, cognition, and mood. Take part in neurophysiological assessments, including surface EMG, EEG, and reaction time tasks. Have LFP recordings collected using the Medtronic Percept™ device during clinic visits and, where possible, at home using device sensing features. This study will help determine whether LFP analysis can shorten the time to optimal DBS settings and improve outcomes for people with dystonia.