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Facilitating Diagnostics and Prognostics of Parkinsonian Syndromes Using Neuroimaging

Quantitative Diagnostics of Parkinsonian Syndromes Using Multi-modal Neuroimaging and Deep Learning

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
No age limits stated
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

  • Time periods mentioned: 2 years

Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.

Show the study's own words
  • "This study consists of two parts; neuroimaging of a defined population of mid to late stage PD subjects currently followed at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and recruitment of new subjects with PD, MSA, and PSP who will be followed clinically over 2 years and who will undergo neuroimaging."
Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study uses brain scans to look for signs of how fast Parkinson’s disease gets worse. It also looks for signs that help tell Parkinson’s apart from similar brain diseases. It includes people with these diseases and people without them for comparison.

The goals of this study are: 1) to identify biomarkers using neuroimaging that are associated with progression rate using statistical methods, and 2) to identify biomarkers that are associated with the differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonism.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Part 1: Have Parkinson’s disease and enough data from an earlier UT Southwestern study to show how fast it is getting worse.
  • Part 1: Have a suitable matching participant in the other group—fast or slow disease worsening.
  • All participants: Agree to the required scans and give written consent.
  • Part 2: Have Parkinson’s diagnosed less than 5 years ago, meeting the study’s diagnosis rules.
  • Part 2: Have multiple system atrophy (MSA), a disease affecting movement and automatic body functions, diagnosed less than 5 years ago and meeting the study’s diagnosis rules.
  • Part 2: Meet the study’s rules for probable progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a disease affecting movement, balance, and eye movements.
  • Part 2 comparison group: Be about the same age and sex as the Parkinson’s group. Have no signs of a disease that damages brain or nerve cells; have normal walking, balance, and eye movements for your age; and no symptoms from blood pressure dropping when standing.
  • Everyone in Part 2: Agree to scans and visits to rate symptoms. You and the study doctor must expect you can stay for 2 years, with no plans to move away.

Who can't join

  • Cannot safely have the required scans, speak English clearly throughout the study, or keep study visits. Women ages 18–55 who could become pregnant need a negative pregnancy test before scanning.
  • Have a missing finger on the right hand, or a cast on the right hand or fingers when joining.
  • Have serious organ, heart, hormone, infection, or other health problems that pose a safety risk; a relevant severe drug allergy; or current cancer treatment with chemotherapy or radiation.
  • Have drug or alcohol abuse or dependence within the last year, a past long period of abuse or dependence, or recreational drug use within 6 months.
  • Have a brain injury, brain or nerve disease, or mental health condition that prevents participation. Part 1 also excludes people whose disease makes scans too hard, or who lack a suitable matching participant.
  • Part 2 Parkinson’s group: Certain unusual symptoms, disease patterns, or treatment responses rule out joining. These include early severe falls, walking, swallowing, breathing, or automatic body-function problems; certain memory or speech diseases; drug-related symptoms; or signs that another diagnosis is more likely.
  • Part 2 MSA group: Significant nerve damage; seeing or hearing things that are not there without a drug cause; symptoms starting after age 75; family history of poor coordination or Parkinson-like symptoms; or scan findings suggesting multiple sclerosis.
  • Part 2 PSP group: Certain unexplained memory, alertness, body-function, nerve, or coordination problems; signs of another cause; past brain inflammation; or another clear cause of poor balance. Comparison volunteers cannot join if the study doctor finds them unsuitable.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: For Aim 1: * Diagnosis of Parkinson disease * Existence of sufficient clinical data from previous UTS Southwestern longitudinal study to determine progression rate (categorized as fast or slow) * Availability of suitable matched participant in the alternate progression group (fast or slow) * Willingness to participate in the imaging studies required for this study and to provide written informed consent For Aim 2: PD subjects will be recruited in accordance with the MDS Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for PD. * Duration of PD (since diagnosis) is \< 5 years * Willing to participate in imaging and clinical scoring visits, and provide written informed consent * Subject and investigator agree that it is highly likely subject will be able to participate throughout the 2-year study period (no plans to move) MSA subjects will be recruited in accordance with the Second Consensus Statement on Diagnosis of Multiple System Atrophy. * Duration of MSA (since diagnosis) is \< 5 years * Willing to participate in imaging and clinical scoring visits, and provide written informed consent * Subject and investigator agree that it is highly likely subject will be able to participate throughout the 2-year study period (no plans to move away during the study) PSP subjects will be recruited in accordance with the MDS Criteria for Diagnosis of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and must meet the designation of "probable PSP" for inclusion. * Willing to participate in imaging and clinical scoring visits, and provide written informed consent * Subject and investigator agree that it is highly likely subject will be able to participate throughout the 2-year study period (no plans to move away during the study) Control subjects will be recruited who meet the following criteria: * Roughly age and sex matched with the subjects in the PD cohort * No history or examination findings suggestive of any neurodegenerative disease * Normal gait, balance, and eye movements for age * No clinical evidence for symptomatic orthostatic hypotension * Willing to participate in imaging and clinical scoring visits, and provide written informed consent * Subject and investigator agree that it is highly likely subject will be able to participate throughout the 2-year study period (no plans to move away during the study) Exclusion Criteria: For Aims 1 and 2: * Any contraindications to undergoing the multimodal imaging program * All females of child-bearing potential, between the ages of 18-55, will be excluded from the study, unless they are confirmed to be not pregnant with a pregnancy test prior to scanning * This study will require constant clear communication throughout the duration of the study; therefore, non-English speakers will be excluded * Right-handed finger amputees * Cast on right hand or fingers at the time of enrollment * Has clinically significant liver, kidney, lung, metabolic or hormone disturbances which pose safety risk * Has a current clinically significant heart disease that poses a safety risk * Has a current clinically significant infectious disease or a medical comorbidity which poses a safety risk * Has a history of relevant severe drug allergy or hypersensitivity * Have a history of drug, alcohol, or substance dependence or abuse within the last year, or prior prolonged history of dependence or abuse * Currently undergoing chemotherapy or radiation for cancer * Recreational drug use in past six months * Central nervous systems disease or brain injury that would preclude participation in this study * Psychiatric or neurological disorder that would preclude participation in this study * Inability to keep or maintain research appointments For Aim 1: * Severe disease progression such that participation in the imaging tests would be impossible or difficult * Non-availability of a suitable matched participant in the alternate progression group (fast or slow) For Aim 2: PD subjects 1. Unequivocal cerebellar abnormalities 2. Downward vertical gaze limitation or slowing of downward saccades 3. Diagnosis of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia or primary progressive aphasia 4. Parkinsonian features restricted to the lower limbs for \> 3 years 5. Treatment with dopamine blockers or depleters in a time course consistent with drug induced parkinsonism 6. Absence of an observable response to high dose levodopa despite moderate disease severity 7. Expert considers a diagnosis of alternative syndrome more likely than PD 8. Rapid progression of gait impairment requiring wheelchair within 5 years of onset 9. Complete absence of progression of motor symptoms over 5 years unless due to treatment 10. Early bulbar dysfunction within the first 5 years since diagnosis 11. Inspiratory respiratory dysfunction (stridor or frequent sighs) 12. Severe autonomic failure in the first 5 years 13. Recurrent falls (\>1 per year) because of impaired balance in the first 3 years 14. Disproportionate dystonic anterocollis or hand contractures of hands or feet within 10 years 15. Absence of any of the common non-motor features of PD despite 5 years of disease 16. Otherwise unexplained pyramidal tract signs (weakness, hyperreflexia, or extensor toe signs) 17. Bilateral symmetric parkinsonism MSA subjects 1. Clinically significant neuropathy 2. Hallucinations not induced by drugs 3. Onset after age 75 years 4. Family history of ataxia or parkinsonism 5. White matter lesions suggesting multiple sclerosis PSP subjects 1. Predominant, otherwise unexplained impairment of episodic memory, suggestive of AD (Alzheimer's disease) 2. Predominant, otherwise unexplained autonomic failure, e.g., orthostatic hypotension (orthostatic reduction in blood pressure after 3 minutes standing \> 30 mm Hg systolic or \> 15 mm Hg diastolic), suggestive of multiple system atrophy or Lewy body disease 3. Predominant, otherwise unexplained visual hallucinations or fluctuations in alertness, suggestive of dementia with Lewy bodies 4. Predominant, otherwise unexplained multisegmental upper and lower motor neuron signs, suggestive of motor neuron disease (pure upper motor neuron signs are not an exclusion criterion) 5. Sudden onset or step-wise or rapid progression of symptoms, in conjunction with corresponding imaging or laboratory findings, suggestive of vascular etiology, autoimmune encephalitis, metabolic encephalopathies, or prion disease 6. History of encephalitis 7. Prominent appendicular ataxia 8. Identifiable cause of postural instability, e.g., primary sensory deficit, vestibular dysfunction, severe spasticity, or lower motor neuron syndrome Control subjects a. In the investigator's opinion, an unsuitable candidate to serve as a control

Study sites (1)

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