View clinical trials related to Cerebellar Ataxia.
Filter by:This study is meant to assess the safety and tolerability of idebenone in patients with Friedreich's Ataxia over a 12 months period.
This study will evaluate the side effects and tolerability of the drug lithium in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type I (SCA1) an inherited disorder caused by loss of nerve cells in parts of the brain. Symptoms include ataxia (difficulty walking) and loss of muscle coordination and strength. Recent studies suggest that lithium may be helpful in treating some SCA1 symptoms. People between 18 and 65 years of age with SCA1 who have only difficulty walking or who have difficulty walking as well as tremor, hand incoordination or speech problems, may be eligible for this study. Participation requires three hospital admissions at the NIH Clinical Center and one outpatient visit. Participants undergo the following tests and procedures: Admission 1 (2-6 weeks) - Medical history, physical examination, blood and urine tests, electrocardiogram. - Evaluation of SCA1 symptoms (balance, walking, dexterity, tremor, memory, mood and concentration). - Monitoring of liquid intake and output (urine) and weight changes. - Lithium treatment Start treatment and remain in hospital until the blood level of the drug is stabilized; continue treatment at home after hospital discharge. Admission 2 (2-4 days, 4 weeks after hospital discharge). - Repeat of some or all of the procedures done at the first admission. - Continue lithium in hospital and at home after discharge, with local physician checking laboratory values as needed. Admission 3 (2-4 days, 8 weeks after Admission 2). - Repeat of some or all of the procedures done at other admissions. - Stop lithium. Outpatient Visit (4 weeks after Admission 3) - Evaluation of SCA1 symptoms. - Blood and urine tests.
Ataxia Telangiectasia (AT) is an autosomal recessive inherited condition caused by mutations in the ATM gene1. Patients suffer from neuro-degenerative problems, usually commencing in the second year of life, and affecting predominantly the cerebellum. They also develop the characteristic superficial telangiectases. Between 60 and 80% of affected children are immunodeficient. This is associated with deficiency of immunoglobulin A (IgA ) 2, of IgG23 and of antibody responses to pneumococcal polysaccharides4. Patients suffer recurrent sino-pulmonary infections but a recent study suggests poor correlation between immune status and immunological parameters5. If uncontrolled, recurrent pulmonary infections can contribute to the development of chronic lung disease and bronchiectasis. Preventative management includes continuous prophylactic antibiotic treatment in some with the need for replacement immunoglobulin therapy in only a small proportion of cases. Antibiotics have been reasonably effective in this situation but the emergence of resistance amongst community acquired pneumococcal isolates is a cause for concern. Appropriate immunisation strategies may also have a role. This study is designed to look at antibody responses in a one versus two dose regimen in a cohort of AT patients recruited through the AT Society a national charitable organisation involved in providing support to families with this condition and in fostering education and research in the field.
Measuring the various difficulties patients with spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) report in an accurate manner is important to be able to test any therapy that may be developed. As basic research identifies some therapy of this type, clinicians are planning studies that can either prove or disprove that such treatments actually have an effect. Walking problems and problems with eye movements that can give rise to visual complaints are common in the SCA's. Existing neurological scales such as the "SARA" are based on the usual neurological examination items that can carry a degree of subjective bias. Also the intervals between numbers on such scores often do not carry the same "weight" so that the difference between a score of 1 and 2 may not be equal to difference between 2 and 3. Lastly, such scales done in the clinic setting capture only a brief period of a patient's day. We propose that examination of home based gait monitoring, timed tests of motor function and quantitative measures of visual problems in patients with SCA are more useful in measuring the disability in these patients.
This research is being done to find out if Baclofen, a medicine that is often used for the treatment of abnormal stiffness, might also be useful to treat some of the neurologic problems caused by ataxia telangiectasia (A-T). The investigators also want to find out if there are better ways to measure the problems of ataxia and abnormal eye movement for future studies of medication in ataxia telangiectasia.
Friedreich's ataxia is a rare genetic disorder characterized by severe neurological disability and cardiomyopathy. Friedreich's ataxia is the consequence of frataxin deficiency. Although several drugs have been proposed, there is no available treatment. It was recently demonstrated that erythropoietin can increase the intracellular levels of frataxin in an in-vitro model. The present project is aimed at testing the possible therapeutic approach of erythropoietin, which is an already available and commercialized drug. The investigators will perform both in-vitro and in-vivo tests, in order to asses its efficacy and safety in patients. The results will be useful to plan further clinical trials.
This study is meant to assess the effectiveness of idebenone on neurological outcome measures in patients with Friedreich's Ataxia over a 6 months period.
The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate the safety and tolerability of deferiprone in subjects with Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA). The secondary objective is to evaluate the efficacy of deferiprone for the treatment of FRDA, as assessed by a 9-Hole Peg Test (9HPT), Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW), Low-Contrast Letter Acuity test (LCLA), International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS), and Friedreich's Ataxia Rating Scale (FARS). The tertiary objectives are to evaluate the effect of deferiprone on: 1. cardiac function as measured by changes in Left Ventricular Shortening Fraction (LVSF), Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) and Left Ventricular (LV) mass using echocardiogram (ECHO), 2. quality of life using quality-of-life surveys, and 3. functional status using Activities of Daily Living (ADL).
Episodic ataxia (EA) is a rare genetic disease characterized by episodes of imbalance, incoordination, and slurring of speech. The underlying cause of EA is only partly understood, and currently there are no established treatments. There is also little information about the link between EA's clinical features and its genetic basis. The purpose of this study is to better characterize EA and disease progression. In turn, this may direct the development of future treatments.
This study will determine whether a drug called idebenone is safe and effective in reducing the level of oxidants that are believed to damage the nervous system and hearts in patients with Friedreich's ataxia. Friedreich's ataxia is caused by an abnormality in the gene that makes a protein called frataxin, which is necessary for the proper functioning of energy-producing parts of cells called mitrochondria. In Friedreich's ataxia, the mitochondria become overloaded with iron, and high levels of harmful compounds called oxidants are formed. These oxidants are believed to damage the cells of the nervous system and hearts of people with Friedreich's ataxia. Idebenone is a man-made drug similar to a naturally occurring compound known as Coenzyme Q10. This study will test whether idebenone can alleviate some of the symptoms of Friedreich's ataxia and slow or halt the progression of the disease. Patients with genetically confirmed Friedreich's ataxia who are between 9 and 18 years of age, weigh between 65 and 175 pounds and can walk 25 feet with or without an assistive device may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with blood tests and a review of their medical records. Participants undergo the following tests and procedures: - Medical interview and physical examination. Tests include blood and urine tests, an electrocardiogram, or EKG (recording of the electrical activity of the heart), echocardiogram (ultrasound test showing the pumping action of the heart, thickness of the heart walls, and any valve leakage), and a detailed neurological examination, including maneuvers such as copying a drawing and putting pegs in a board. Patients' parents are asked questions about how they feel their child's disease affects the child's quality of life. - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the heart muscle and blood flow to the heart. MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images of body tissues and organs. The patient lies on a table that is moved into the doughnut-shaped MRI scanner, wearing earplugs to muffle loud knocking and thumping sounds that occur during the scanning process. A catheter (plastic tube) is placed in a vein in the child's arm so that a chemical called gadolinium can be injected during the MRI study. Gadolinium brightens areas of the heart, improving the ability to see the heart and blood flow. - Physical medicine and rehabilitation evaluations to test the child's physical functioning. These tests include gait evaluation, measurements of the ability to exert and maintain a constant force, assessment of visual-motor control and fine motor control, aerobic exercise endurance testing, and measurement of the ability of the child's heart and lungs to increase their effectiveness with exercise. - Idebenone/placebo treatment. Patients are given a 6-month supply of either idebenone pills or placebo (pills that look like the study drug but have no active ingredient) to take three times a day. Patients are seen by their primary care physician after 1 and 3 months on the study medication for a brief physical examination. In addition, they have blood and urine tests once a month while on medication to check for any abnormalities. - 6-month examination. After 6 months on the study drug, patients return to NIH to repeat all the tests listed above to determine the effects of idebenone treatment.