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.
Clinical Trials in the Spotlight
NINDS Clinical Trials features descriptions of a selected group of actively-recruiting NINDS-sponsored trials organized by neurological disorder.
Parkinson's Disease
Stroke
Objectives
- Primary: To test the hypothesis that apixaban is superior to aspirin for the prevention
of recurrent stroke in patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke and atrial cardiopathy.
- Secondary: To test the hypothesis that the relative efficacy of apixaban over aspirin
increases with the severity of atrial cardiopathy.
The overall objective of the Stroke Minimization through Additive Anti-atherosclerotic Agents in Routine Treatment II (SMAART-II) is to deploy a hybrid study design to firstly, demonstrate the efficacy of a polypill (Polycap ®) containing fixed doses of antihypertensives, a statin, and antiplatelet therapy taken as two capsules, once daily orally in reducing composite vascular risk over 24 months vs. usual care among 500 recent stroke patients encountered at 12 hospitals in Ghana. Secondly, SMAART II seeks to develop an implementation strategy for routine integration and policy adoption of this polypill for post-stroke cardiovascular risk reduction in an under-resourced system burdened by suboptimal care and outcomes.
The purpose of this study is to clarify efficacy and safety of MRI-based intravenous
thrombolysis with alteplase for patients with acute wake-up ischemic stroke and those having
acute ischemic stroke with unknown time of symptom onset.