Clinical Research Directory

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.

Boston Scientific Registry of Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment of Essential Tremor (ET)

To compile characteristics of real-world outcomes for Boston Scientific Corporation's commercially approved Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Systems, when used according to the applicable Directions for Use, for the treatment of Essential Tremor.

3-D Tractography FUS Ablation for Essential Tremor

The investigators propose to advance Vim-FUSA (Ventral Intermediate Nucleus - Focused Ultrasound Ablation) with the support of 3-D tractography, a neuroimaging technique to visually represent nerve tracts within the brain. The investigators hypothesize that 3-D tractography Vim-FUSA will improve the Vim ablation compared to standard Vim-FUSA and prove safe and feasible in the clinical setting. The investigators also hypothesize that intraoperative magnetic resonance (i-MR) monitoring will differentiate ablated tissue from immediate perilesional edema and accurately predict the Vim-FUSA clinical outcomes.

Physiology, Imaging and Modeling of Essential Tremor

This project aims to investigate novel ways to deliver brain stimulation to Essential Tremor (ET) patients by introducing software changes to their existing devices. The study team aims to investigate safety and efficacy of these new stimulation parameters in patients with ET.

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.

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.

EMBRACE Tremor BiFUS

This is a post-market (Phase IV) randomized, controlled, blinded, multicenter study with the aim to determine the added value of staged bilateral Exablate thalamotomy compared to a group of patients on previous unilateral treatment combined with local standard medical treatment.

Physiological Brain Atlas Development

The NIH grant has funded the development of a physiological brain atlas registry that will allow us to significantly improve the data collectioin and use of physiological data into a normalized brain volume. This initially was used to improve DBS implants for Parkinson's Disease, Dystonia, Essential Tremor, and OCD, but now includes data acquired during all stereotactic brain procedures.

Analysis of Cutaneous Phosphorylated Alpha-Synuclein to Identify Patients at Risk of Progressing From Essential Tremor to Parkinson's Disease

Background and Rationale Essential tremor (ET) affects over 6 million Americans and approximately 5% of adults over age 60. Patients with ET have a 10-20 times higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD) compared to age-matched populations, with approximately 1% converting to PD annually. Post-mortem studies reveal Lewy body pathology in some ET patients, suggesting a subset may have prodromal PD. Current diagnostic tools (DaTscan, SYNTap) are either insufficiently sensitive for early disease, too expensive, or too invasive for routine screening. The Syn-One Test offers a minimally invasive approach to detect phosphorylated α-synuclein (P-SYN) pathology in skin biopsies. Primary Objectives 1. Identify which ET patients have P-SYN pathology indicative of prodromal PD 2. Predict which patients are most likely to phenoconvert to PD

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.

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.

Electroclinical Correlates in Essential Tremor

Essential tremor (ET) is a neurological disorder that affects nearly 0.9% of the world's population. High-frequency Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the ventral-intermediate nuclei of the thalamus (VIM) has been proven as an effective second-line treatment for severe forms of ET. The arrival on the market of the PERCEPT™ (new stimulator/recorder, Medtronic, Minneapolis, USA) now allows, in addition to the stimulation delivery, the recording of intracerebral activity at a distance from surgery, in a non-invasive way and in ecological condition at home. Investigators aim at recording the variations of thalamic Local Field Potentials (LFP) oscillations, in ecological condition, during rest and movement, with and without deep brain stimulation, once a week, between M3 and M6 post surgery.

Image-Guided DBS Programming

The objective of this study is to compare the effects of image-guided programming algorithm using various image segmentations vs standard clinical programming on reduction of tremor and patient satisfaction.

Circadian Adaptive DBS in Essential Tremor

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the thalamus is an effective treatment for medically refractory essential tremor (ET). DBS involves delivering continuous stimulation to the brain through electrodes permanently implanted in the thalamus. Despite proven effectiveness, the long-term benefit of DBS can wane over time (habituation) and side effects, including paresthesia and dysarthria, often limit the amplitude of the stimulation, resulting in suboptimal control of tremor. In clinical practice, many groups advise patients to switch their devices off at night to avoid habituation and reduce side effects. However, manually turning off the device at night can result in uncontrolled tremor when the patient moves at night. This study aims to develop an algorithm that automatically turns off stimulation when a patient is asleep, based on circadian brain signals. Turning off stimulation could potentially improve the therapy by limiting adverse effects, increasing efficacy, reducing the risk of habituation, and prolonging battery life. This study will evaluate the feasibility, safety, and tolerability of circadian adaptive DBS.

Motor Network Physiology

The brain networks controlling movement are complex, involving multiple areas of the brain. Some neurological disorders, like Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET), cause abnormalities in these brain networks. Deep brain stimulation is a treatment that is used to treat these types of neurological diseases and is thought to help patients by modulating brain networks responsible for movement. Levodopa medication is also used to modulate this brain networks in patients with PD. The overall objective is to develop a unified theory of basal ganglia thalamocortical (BGTC) circuit dynamics that accounts for disease symptomatology, movement, and their inter-relationship. The underlying hypothesis, is that the rigidity and bradykinesia of PD are fundamentally related to excessive functional coupling across nodes in the BGTC motor circuit impeding effective information flow. In this research, the investigator will take advantage of the unique opportunity provided by awake deep brain stimulation surgery to learn more about how the brain functions in a diseased state and how deep brain stimulation changes these networks to make movement more normal. The investigator will simultaneously assess cortical and subcortical electrophysiology in relation to clinical symptoms and behavioral measures and in response to deep brain stimulation, cortical stimulation, and pharmacologic therapy in patients undergoing Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) implantation surgery.

Essential 3 - Decentralized, Phase 3 Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Ulixacaltamide in Essential Tremor (ET)

The goal of this clinical study is to compare ulixacaltamide and placebo treatment in essential tremor. The main question it aims to answer is: • Is ulixacaltamide a safe and efficacious treatment for patients with essential tremor? Participants will be asked to participate in one of two clinical studies where they will be treated with either ulixacaltamide or placebo for a period of up to 12 weeks. After the controlled study completion, they will be eligible to participate in a long-term, open-label safety study (LTSS) and be treated with ulixacaltamide. Participants are eligible to enroll directly into the LTSS if they previously participated in an essential tremor trial, received sponsor invitation after being deemed ineligible for the controlled study, or following enrollment closure of the controlled study.

Impact of Sensory Electrical Stimulation on Sensation and Tremor

The purpose of this study is to understand the acute, short-term and long-term impact of transcutaneous and/or percutaneous electrical stimulation with afferent-specific electrical stimulation (asES) on proprioception and fine motor control in the upper extremity. For this purpose, the researchers will use transcutaneous and/or percutaneous asES, high-density electromyography (HD-EMG), arm kinematic measurements, and standardized clinical assessments. This study will be conducted in healthy able-bodied individuals and patients with essential tremor (ET).

Sensory-specific Peripheral Stimulation for Tremor Management

The purpose of this study is to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms of peripheral electrical stimulation (PES) in modulating supraspinal tremorogenic input to motoneurons. For this purpose, the investigators will use transcutaneous PES, high-density electromyography (HD-EMG), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroencephalography (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and neuromusculoskeletal modelling. This study will be carried out in both healthy participants and patients with essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson's disease (PD).

Deep Brain Stimulation of the Deep Cerebellar Nuclei for Refractory Tremor

This objective of this study is to document the safety and feasibility of electrical stimulation of the deep cerebellar nuclei for refractory tremor using the Medtronic Percept RC Deep Brain Stimulation System. The population will consist of patients that have either failed a prior intervention (Vim DBS or HIFU thalamotomy) or determined to not be suitable candidates for Vim DBS or HIFU thalamotomy because they have a cerebellar outflow or MS-related tremor. Those patients with a previous intervention, must have a prior diagnosis of ET, cerebellar outflow tremor, or MS-related tremor. Subjects without a previous intervention must have a diagnosis of cerebellar outflow tremor or MS-related tremor.

Assessment of the Safety and Efficacy of the Felix NeuroAI Wristband in Essential Tremor

The goal of this clinical study is to compare Felix NeuroAI Wristband and sham device in patients with essential tremor. The main question it aims to answer is: • Is Felix a safe and efficacious treatment for patients with essential tremor? Participants will be treated with either Felix or Sham for a period of up to 90 days. After that, they will be eligible to participate in a long-term, open-label study and be treated with Felix.

Pilot Study of the Felix System in Patients With Essential Tremor and Parkinson's Tremor

A prospective, open-label, multi-center pilot study designed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Felix system in the relief of upper limb tremors in adults with essential tremor and Parkinson's disease.

Coordinated Reset Deep Brain Stimulation for Essential Tremor

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical procedure for the treatment of Essential Tremor (ET). A novel approach to current DBS approaches is called coordinated reset DBS (CR-DBS) which uses different patterns of stimulation at lower currents and can address the limitations of traditional DBS that uses continuous high amplitude, high frequency stimulation. This study will evaluate the feasibility, safety and short-term efficacy of thalamic CR-DBS in upper extremity ET. The goal of this study is to evaluate the safety and short-term efficacy of thalamic CR- DBS in ET, including the acute (during CR-DBS) and carryover (following DBS cessation) effects, and compare these to those induced by clinically optimized T-DBS. To achieve our goal, a low-risk, two-phase clinical study will be conducted in patients with upper extremity (UE) ET. The first aim is to identify the spatial location and peak frequency of tremor related oscillatory activities in VIM (Phase I). The second aim is to compare the acute effects of thalamic CR-DBS to clinically optimized T-DBS (Phase II).

Optimization of VIM Targeting in Essential Tremor Surgery

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) for essential tremor is based on the intermedius ventralis nucleus of the thalamus (VIM) stimulation. This structure is however very difficult to target, as it remains invisible on imaging. The current procedure based on awake surgery with clinical and electrophysiological testings has several limitations that lead us to develop a probabilistic model to locate precisely the target. This study aims to show that asleep DBS surgery based on this new targeting method leads to at least the same clinical results than the classical procedure.

Decision-making and Emotion Recognition in Essential Tremor

The present study aims at investigating cognitive functions requiring orbitofrontal control, namely decision-making and facial emotion recognition. The investigators hypothesize that decision-making and facial emotion recognition are impaired in patients with essential tremor (ET) due to frontal lobe dysfunction which may have consequences in daily social life.