View clinical trials related to Brain Diseases.
Filter by:Phase II: Primary Objectives: -To determine the effectiveness of dasatinib (Sprycel) with radiotherapy (RT) and 6 weeks of concomitant temozolomide (TMZ) administered at 75 mg/m^2/day followed by adjuvant temozolomide with concurrent dasatinib in patients with newly-diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) as measured by overall survival. Secondary Objectives: - To determine the efficacy of this treatment as measured by radiographic response (RR), progression-free survival (PFS) and time to progression (TTP). - To characterize the safety profile of dasatinib (Sprycel) in combination with RT and concomitant TMZ in patients with newly-diagnosed GBM. - To characterize the safety profile of dasatinib (Sprycel) in combination with adjuvant TMZ in patients with GBM after RT. Exploratory Objectives: -To correlate tumor genotype, tumor expression of dasatinib target proteins (e.g. Src, EphA2, c-kit and PDGFR), and PTEN levels with response to therapy with dasatinib and temozolomide.
This study examines the effect of cord blood in the treatment of newborn infants with neonatal encephalopathy in combination with hypothermia, which is the standard treatment for this condition. The hypothesis is that the cord blood + hypothermia combination will produce better neuroprotection than the standard treatment of hypothermia alone.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the safety and effectiveness of autologous human placental-derived stem cells (HPDSC) in combination with autologous cord blood in neonates with severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
The aim of the current study is to determine whether rifaximin or lactulose is more effective in preventing the development of severe hepatic encephalopathy in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and new onset kidney failure. Subjects will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: Group A: Lactulose 20g dose titrated to 2-3 soft-formed bowel movements per day Group B: Rifaximin 550mg tablet twice daily. Subjects will be followed daily for two weeks or until hospital discharge. Treatment success is defined as prevention of grade 3 or 4 HE during hospitalization.
The purpose of this study is to test feasibility of measuring flumazenil-induced changes in cortical GABA levels observed with localized 1H-MRS in relation to changes in severity of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in subjects with non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis. This study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, cross-over design.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the use of polyethylene glycol is superior and more safe in treating hepatic encephalopathy compared to lactulose and also to determine if treatment with polyethylene glycol will reduce the duration of hospital stay.
During the birth process certain conditions can cause oxygen delivery and/or blood flow to the baby's brain to become interrupted. This can cause permanent brain damage. Brain damage occurs in two phases. The first occurs at the time of injury when brain cells in the affected area 'die'. There is nothing that can be done about this. The second phase of injury occurs over the next few days. This second phase is caused by inflammation and release of toxic chemicals from the injured site. Cooling the baby to a temperature of 92.5° F, for 3 days has been shown to reduce the second phase of injury and bran death. All babies will receive the benefit of cooling. Although cooling helps it does not completely stop the second phase of injury. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that is produced by the brain, and helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle. It has the potential to stop the second phase of brain injury by inhibiting inflammation and release of toxic chemicals. The reason for this research is to find out if melatonin can or cannot improve the outcome of babies with this kind of brain damage. Every baby enrolled in the study has a 50:50 chance of getting melatonin. A total of six doses of medicine will be given. The baby's brain function will be assessed by an EEG, brain oxygen monitoring, and a neurologic examination at 18 months of life. All of these are routinely used as part of standard care for patients with this kind of problem. The only difference is that half the babies enrolled in the study will get the drug called melatonin and the other half will receive placebo. The dose of melatonin being used in the study is higher than the amount normally produced by the body. No side-effects of this dose have been reported in other research studies using melatonin in newborn and premature babies.
The objective of this study is to measure the frequency and clinical types of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia that occur among up to 150 military retirees with and without a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, Washington D.C. and the Veterans Home of California-Yountville. Investigators will compare the characteristics of dementia in those who have had a prior TBI to the characteristics in those without a history of TBI. It is our hypothesis that the dementia or MCI among those with prior TBI has distinct neuropsychological features that distinguishes it from those with dementia or MCI without a history of TBI.
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a potentially reversible, metabolically caused complication of acute or chronic liver diseases such as cirrhosis. Due to the diseased liver's inability to remove toxins such as ammonia, which is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, the ammonia accumulates in the brain and causes forgetfulness, confusion, disorientation, concentration and memory problems, changes in mood, decreased alertness and responsiveness, changes in sleep habits, muscle tremors and stiffness, speech impairments, uncontrollable movements, agitation. This study will examine music as a possible external factor that could contribute to impairment in attention and progressive memory in cirrhotic patients while driving. Sustaining attention is important for learning and remembering new information, for e.g. keeping the car within lane and paying attention to cyclists and pedestrians. Prospective memory is the ability to remember to perform previously intended tasks at the appropriate time or occasion, for instance remembering the correct exit while driving on the highway. Impairment in any of these areas may result in serious consequences for patient with cirrhosis. There is evidence that some subsets of cirrhotic patients have a diminished ability to drive and significantly more motor vehicle crashes and traffic violations. In these patients, listening to music while driving may further jeopardize their driving ability, which in turn may lead to reduced quality of life and increased medical costs (from motor vehicle accidents). This is a cross-sectional study designed to determine if there is any effect of listening to music on attention and prospective memory in patients with cirrhosis. For these purposes, subjects will be asked to come for one study visit, which will last approximately 2 hours. During this visit, subjects will undergo a series of screening procedures (consent, assignment of subject identification number, demographics, medical history, physical examination, vitals, height, weight, and eligibility assessment). If they are found eligible, subjects will undergo several neuropsychological assessments to measure any effect of music on attention and prospective memory. These assessments include including Number Connection Test (NCT), Digit Symbol Test (DST), Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT) and Inhibitory Control Test (ICT).
Ascites is the accumulation of fluid within the peritoneal cavity of the abdomen. It is a frequent complication of cirrhosis that is associated with significant morbidity and poor quality of life. Large-volume ascites has been associated with impaired pulmonary function. In a previous study, the presence and severity of ascites were determined to be significant determinants of fatigue. In this study, we will determine whether large-volume ascites contributes to fatigue by assessing the response to drainage of ascites by means of a procedure called large-volume paracentesis. We hypothesize that treatment of ascites with a single large-volume paracentesis leads to decreased fatigue and improved quality of life and that this improvement is associated with improved sleep pattern. 20 patients with cirrhosis with refractory ascites requiring regular drainage of ascites fluid by large-volume paracenteses will be recruited for the study. All patients will undergo a complete clinical and physical examination for liver function, including blood tests. Hepatic encephalopathy, a change in mental status associated with liver dysfunction, will be assessed by obtaining historical data and by means of simple bedside neuropsychological examinations. Study visits will take place on two consecutive days, with each visit lasting approximately 2-3 hours. Immediately prior to a large-volume paracentesis, patients will complete standardized questionnaires for fatigue severity, quality of life, quality of sleep, and a physical assessment of fatigue by means of a 6-minute walk test. Repeat evaluations will be performed 1 day after the procedure. Statistical analysis will then be performed to determine the effect of the paracentesis on the various clinical assessments.