View clinical trials related to Multiple Sclerosis.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) alone compared to Copaxone plus albuterol in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Certain white blood cells of the immune system become abnormally active and mistakenly attack the myelin of nerve fibers. Myelin is a fatty sheath that surrounds nerve fibers and insulates the nerve like insulation around an electrical wire. Without proper myelin insulation, messages sent between the brain and other parts of the body may be confused or fail completely. Damage to myelin causes the symptoms of MS. The most common form of MS is known as relapsing-remitting (RR), where partial or total recovery occurs after attacks. Four therapies are currently approved for the treatment of MS. These therapies, however, are only moderately effective and can cause undesirable side effects. For this reason, there is a need to find new therapies that have minimal side effects and may stop the disease from getting worse.
We propose to evaluate auditory function and neuropsychologic function in 150 Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients and in 150 patients who do not have MS. Experimental subjects will be recruited by selecting patients with a verified diagnosis of MS from the registry of patients established by the Oregon Health Sciences University, Multiple Sclerosis Research Center. Control subjects will be matched with respect to age, to gender and to audiometric configuration.
The participant will receive weekly intramuscular treatment with AVONEX® (interferon beta 1-a) and bi-monthly high dose intravenous methotrexate with Leucovorin rescue.
The purpose of this study is to determine if natalizumab in combination with AVONEX is safe and effective in delaying progression of individuals diagnosed with relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of natalizumab in the treatment of individuals who have been diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). It is hoped that natalizumab will prevent certain types of white blood cells from moving out of the bloodstream into organs, including the brain, that are being damaged by autoimmune disease (a disease in which the body's own immune system attacks certain organs). These white blood cells are thought to cause inflammation that can result in lesions (small areas of damage) in the brain. These lesions are thought to be the cause of relapses and disability in MS.
OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the efficacy, in terms of disease progression, of high-dose cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation with T lymphocyte-depleted autologous peripheral blood stem cell or bone marrow rescue in patients with multiple sclerosis.
OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the toxicity of total-body irradiation, anti-thymocyte globulin, and cyclophosphamide followed by syngeneic or autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation in patients with multiple sclerosis. II. Determine the disease response of patients treated with this regimen. III. Determine the safety and efficacy of filgrastim (G-CSF) for PBSC mobilization in this patient population.
This study will evaluate the safety, tolerability, and effect of the drug Rolipram on multiple sclerosis (MS). It will examine whether Rolipram can dampen the part of the immune response believed to lead to MS and reduce disease activity. Patient with multiple sclerosis who are between the ages of 18 and 65 may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a complete neurological and medical evaluation. Participants will complete three study phases-baseline, treatment and follow-up, as follows: Baseline (3 months) - Approximately four magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans will be obtained to assess MS activity. Participants with MS activity above a certain level will continue with the treatment phase. Treatment (8 months) - Patients will take Rolipram tablets in increasing doses every 2 to 3 days for the first month of this phase until their individual maximum tolerated dose is established. Dosing will continue at that level for the rest of the treatment phase. Dosing is in the morning, midday and evening. Patients will be seen monthly in the clinic for examination and MRI scans. Follow-up - Participants will have monthly exams and MRIs for 3 months following the treatment phase, after which their participation in the study ends. Patients' monthly visits during treatment and follow-up include a neurological examination to assess disease status; MRI to assess brain changes; and blood and urine collection to monitor liver, kidney and other functions. In addition, a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is done during the last month of the baseline phase and one month after treatment ends to study changes in the spinal fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and leukapheresis is done once during the last month of the baseline phase and once during the last month of treatment to collect white blood cells for study. These procedures involve the following: MRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves instead of X-rays to produce images showing structural and chemical changes in tissues. The patient lies on a table in a narrow cylinder (the scanner) containing a magnetic field and images are taken. A contrast agent called gadolinium is injected into a vein during the last set of images to help identify new lesions. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which is similar to MRI, is also done once during the baseline phase, at 4 months and at 8 months to measure brain chemicals. For the spinal tap, a local anesthetic is given and a needle is inserted in the space between the bones (vertebrae) in the lower back. About 2 tablespoons of fluid is collected through the needle. For leukapheresis, whole blood is collected through a needle placed in an arm vein. The blood circulates through a machine that separates it into its components. The white cells are removed and the red cells, platelets and plasma are returned to the body through a second needle placed in the other arm. Patients may also have studies to measure levels of Rolipram in the blood. These are done on study days 1 and 29 and at months 2, 4, and 6. For days 1 and 29, a catheter is placed in an arm vein and 4 ml. of blood is drawn immediately before the morning dose and at several intervals from 20 minutes to 6 hours after the dose. For the other tests, a single 4-ml sample is collected before the noon dose.
Changes in visual attention are common among elders and people with multiple sclerosis. The visual attention changes contribute to difficulty with day to day functioning including falls, driving and even finding one's keys on the kitchen counter as well as contributing to deficits in other cognitive domains. Yoga emphasizes the ability to focus attention and there is some evidence that the practice of yoga may improve one's cognitive abilities. Additionally, yoga practice may improve cognitive function through other non-specific means such as improved mood, decreased stress or declines in oxidative injury. We propose a randomized, controlled 6 month phase II trial of yoga in two separate cohorts: healthy elders and subjects with mild multiple sclerosis. We will determine if yoga intervention produces improvements on a broad attentional battery that especially emphasizes attentional control. To further understand the reported beneficial effect of yoga on its practitioners, we will also determine if there is a positive impact on measures directly related to yoga practice (flexibility and balance) as well as mood, quality of life and oxidative injury markers. The yoga intervention consists of a Hatha yoga class meeting twice per week. The class is taught by experienced yoga teachers who are supervised by a nationally known yoga instructor. There are two control groups. An exercise group will have a structured walking program prescribed by a certified Health and Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer. The program will attempt to match the Hatha yoga class for metabolic demand. The second control group will be assigned to a 6 month waiting list. The outcome measures are assessed at baseline and after the 6 month period. The primary outcome measures are alertness (quantitative EEG and self-rated scale), ability to focus attention (Stroop) and ability to shift attention (extradimensional set shifting task). Secondary attention outcome measures include the ability to sustain attention (decrement in reaction time) and ability to divide attention (Useful Field of View). Other secondary outcome measures include flexibility, balance, mood, quality of life, fatigue (in MS cohort) and decreased markers of lipid, protein, and DNA oxidative injury.
The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of three antioxidant regimens in treating the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).