View clinical trials related to Brain Diseases.
Filter by:The purpose of the study is to assess the efficacy and safety of a range of doses of SCH 420814 (preladenant) when used together with a stable dose of L-dopa/dopa decarboxylase inhibitor to treat Parkinson's disease. In this study, we will be comparing 3 doses (1 mg, 2 mg, and 5 mg taken twice a day) of preladenant with placebo (sugar pill). Following an Interim Analysis (temporary hold for new enrollment-ongoing subjects will continue on treatment) to review drug safety, a new dose group of 10 mg (taken twice a day) may be added. Approximately 160 participants will be randomized in this study in approximately 22 study centers worldwide for the first part of this study. Following the Interim Analysis, 40 new participants may be added, for a total of 200 participants. The study is double blind, which means neither you nor your study doctor will know whether you are receiving the study medication or placebo.
This is a research study of head cooling. Its goal is to determine whether cooling babies' heads can reduce or prevent brain damage that may have resulted from temporarily reduced oxygen supply to the brain. In this study, half of the babies (selected at random) will have a special cooling cap with circulating water placed on their head for 72 hours to lower the temperature of their brain. The rest of the baby's body will be maintained at a defined temperature by a standard overhead radiant heater. The study protocol includes the taking and analysis of blood samples, performance of brain wave tests, imaging of the brain by ultrasound, and other tests as clinically indicated. Neurodevelopmental outcome will also be assessed at 18 months of age.
Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) has a negative effect on patients’ daily functioning. No study has so far investigated the effect of treatment related improvement in cognitive functions on health related quality-of-life (HRQOL). This study was carried out to determine the influence of treatment on psychomotor performance and on HRQOL in patients with MHE. The mean number of abnormal NP tests decreased significantly in patients in treated group compared with patients in untreated group MANOVA for time and treatment, P =.001). Mean total SIP score improved among patients in the treated group after 3 months compared with patients in untreated group after 3 months (MANOVA for time and treatment, P=.002). Improvement in HRQOL was related to the improvement in psychometry. In conclusion, treatment with lactulose improves both cognitive functions and HRQOL in cirrhotic patients with MHE.
The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of three different treatments for hepatic encephalopathy.
A study of the complex genetics of brain development will be undertaken with an emphasis on those genes that cause the most common structural brain anomaly in humans called holoprosencephaly (HPE). This malformation of the brain can result from either environmental or genetic causes and it is the aim of these investigations to determine the genes responsible for both normal and abnormal brain development through the study of patients with this disorder. Mutations in one such gene, Sonic Hedgehog, have been shown by us to be responsible for approximately one quarter of familial cases of HPE. Other genes either related to the hedgehog pathway or located at unrelated defined genetic loci may also contribute to HPE and are the subject of active investigation. We anticipate that many genes important for normal brain development will be identified in the search for genetic causes of HPE.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether a special yogurt can improve performance on certain tests of intelligence and decrease liver inflammation in patients with cirrhosis.
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a frequent complication of chronic liver disease (cirrhosis) and involves a wide spectrum of problems from mild impairment of reaction times in driving and operating machinery through to disturbances in mood, behaviour and conscious levels. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a method of obtaining pictures of the inside of the body. Patients with liver disease have previously been studied with MRI which has highlighted changes in the brain. This research aims to highlight some of the differences in the way that the brain functions in patients with liver disease. Using our new, more powerful MRI scanner, with more sophisticated techniques we hope that the novel combination of MRI techniques can objectively detect the presence of , and monitor HE. Study hypothesis: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a reversible, metabolic disturbance of the brain, associated with low grade brain swelling and disturbances of the chemical balance within the brain, resulting in functional impairment, the presence of which MR imaging can detect with sufficient sensitivity to monitor the changes that may occur over time in response to treatment.
Dr. Elliott Sherr and his collaborators at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) are studying the genetic causes of disorders of cognition and epilepsy, in particular disorders of brain development that affect the corpus callosum, such as Aicardi syndrome, as well as two additional brain malformations, polymicrogyria and Dandy-Walker malformation. The goal of the investigators' research is to use a better understanding of the underlying genetic causes as a foundation to develop better treatments for these groups of patients.
The purpose of this study is to determine if the study drug is safe and effective in preventing hepatic encephalopathy (HE).
The purpose of this study is to collect and compare information regarding the treatment and outcome of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease who are receiving either drug or nondrug treatment. Information will be collected from patients and their primary caregivers.