• PDtrials - Parkinson's Disease Clinical Trials
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• /Observation (No intervention)

Official Study Title: Motor Cortex Reward Signaling in Parkinson Disease
Sponsor: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke  National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)A branch of the National Institutes of Health whose research concentrates on the brain and conditions that result in brain function irregularities. The NINDS funds much of the research on Parkinson's disease.  Parkinson's DiseaseA chronic, slowly progressive disease of the nervous system characterized by the combination of tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia and stooped posture, among other symptoms. Internet address: http://www.ninds.nih.gov (NINDS)
Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT00558766
Study ID: 080023, 08-N-0023

Summary

It is known that the brain releases signals as rewards for certain behavior. Some medications for Parkinson's disease (PD) can cause some people with the disorder to engage in compulsive behavior, possibly because the medications affect this reward system.

By using transcranial magnetic stimulation  Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)Brief electrical currents are passed through an insulated wire coil placed on the subject's scalp and the coil, creating magnetic pulses that pass into the brain. (TMS), researchers can study brain activity when an individual receives a reward. The objectives of this study are two-fold: to learn how the brains of people with PD behave when rewarded, and to learn whether two common PD medications (levodopa  LevodopaA compound that is converted into dopamine (the brain chemical which is deficient in people with Parkinson's) in the brain. and pramipexole) change this behavior. This study will compare reward signals in the brains of healthy volunteers with reward signals in the brains of people with PD.

For more information on this trial's protocol,  ProtocolA plan that is the basis for the conduct of a clinical trial ensuring the health of participants, and the solutions to specific research questions. A protocol describes what types of people may participate in the trial, the schedule of tests, procedures, medications and dosages, and the length of the study. please contact the trial coordinator listed.

Study Phase

Not Applicable
What is a study phase?

Symptoms Addressed: Study does not address symptoms

Study does not address symptoms

Time Commitment

• Contact trial organizers

Eligibility

• Minimum Age: 45
• Maximum Age: 80
• Gender(s) Accepted: Either
• Study is enrolling non-PD participants

Inclusion Criteria

• For non-healthy participants: mild to moderate Parkinson's disease.

Exclusion Criteria

• Women who are pre-menopausal.
• Significant neurological or psychiatric history (including PD) for healthy participants.
• Significant neurological or psychiatric history (other than PD) for the participants with PD.
• Cognitive  CognitiveRelated to mental activities having to do with perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning. impairment for both groups.
• Exposure to DA (dopamine)  DopamineA "chemical messenger" that regulates movement by assisting in the effective communication (transmission) of electrochemical signals in the brain from one nerve cell (neuron) to another. As dopamine producing cells degenerate with advancing PD, they no longer produce enough to regulate neurons elsewhere in the brain, resulting in a loss of control of movements, leading to symptoms such as slowed movements, tremor, and rigidity. agonists within a month of study.
• History of habitual gambling, defined as either visiting casinos more than once per month or playing cards for money more than once per week or gambling over the internet more than once per month.
• History of impulse control disorders, such as overeating, overspending or sexual compulsions.
• Habitual consumption of more than two drinks a day, marijuana more than once a week or any other illicit drug use within the last three months.
• Metal in the cranial cavity or eye, pacemaker, implanted pumps or stimulators.
• Use of non-PD related medications affecting the DA system, such as phenothiazine antihistamines (promethazine), antiemetics or decongestants in the last month.
• Non-English speaking people.

Enrollment

Expected Enrollment: 70 (US)
Date Enrollment Began: Nov 01 2007
Last Updated Date: Jan 30 2008
Trial Post Date: Jan 30 2008
Website: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00558766?term=NCT00558766&rank=1

Primary Contacts and Locations

Maryland

• Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office
  prpl@mail.cc.nih.gov
  Phone: (800) 411-1222
  National Institutes of Health  National Institutes of Health (NIH)The National Institutes of Health, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research. Headquartered in Bethesda Maryland, it is composed of 27 Institutes and Centers and provides leadership and financial support to researchers in every state and throughout the world. Internet address: http://www.nih.gov. Clinical  ClinicalDealing with or based on observation and treatment of people, as opposed to basic science carried out in the laboratory or in animals. Center
  9000 Rockville Pike
  Bethesda, MD 20892
  USA