There are about 13332 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Netherlands. The country of the clinical trial is determined by the location of where the clinical research is being studied. Most studies are often held in multiple locations & countries.
Disturbances in brain insulin-sensitivity are not only observed in obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D), but also during brain aging and in dementia. Ketone monoester supplements may improve brain insulin-sensitivity, which can be quantified by measuring the gray-matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) response to intranasally administered insulin. We hypothesize that acute ketone monoester supplementation increases (regional) brain vascular function and insulin-sensitivity thereby improving cognitive performance and appetite control. The primary objective is to evaluate in older men the acute effect of ketone monoester supplementation on (regional) brain vascular function and insulin-sensitivity, as quantified by the non-invasive gold standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-perfusion method Arterial Spin Labelling (ASL). The CBF response to intranasal insulin is a robust and sensitive physiological marker of brain insulin-sensitivity. Secondary objectives are to investigate effects on cognitive performance as assessed with a neuropsychological test battery, and appetite control as quantified by functional MRI (fMRI) with visual food cues.
Participants in the study will use mifepristone 50 mg once-a-week for one year as a contraceptive. With this, we want to confirm that the chances of getting pregnant while using this contraceptive are very small. We also want to demonstrate that the use of mifepristone is safe, and it does not lead to any severe health problems. We expect fewer side effects compared to other frequently used contraceptives with hormones. Mifepristone does not contain these hormones. It is important to know how people experience that use of one tablet a week.
Oesophageal and gastric scintigraphy evaluates the function of the gastrointestinal system including variables such as oesophageal transit and gastric emptying (GE). Some variables are known to change after bariatric surgery. In patients that have symptoms of pain or nausea after bariatric surgery, oesophageal and gastric scintigraphy plays an important role in determining the nature of symptoms and is necessary for adequate treatment. However, literature on reference values in the bariatric population are scarce. At this moment, quantitative evaluation of the scintigraphy cannot be performed and conclusions are based on visual interpretation. There is a need for a standardised scintigraphy protocol for the population that underwent bariatric surgery taking into account the changed anatomy and physiology. Then, reference values that describe the oesophageal transit and GE assessed using scintigraphy have to be determined.
Suffering from PTSD in childhood can have detrimental formative consequences. Researchers have been eager to develop effective interventions and to enhance treatment motivation since the introduction of the diagnosis of PTSD in the DSM. With evolving understanding of the disorder, its definition and criteria have changed over the course of time. The most recent change involves the addition of the criterium D of negative affects or emotions in relation to PTSD, the feeling of shame amongst others. Individuals experiencing interpersonal trauma, such as sexual abuse, are at high-risk developing trauma-related shame, which in turn can impact the course and effectiveness of PTSD treatment. Shame-inducing situations are typically being avoided, and the feelings are not disclosed to peers and other people. Hence, acknowledging and sharing feelings of shame as well as practicing self-compassion have been proposed to reduce the impact of that negative self-conscious emotion. These aspects get partially tackled in evidence-based trauma therapies, however, there appears to be a need for a more specific trauma-related shame intervention in addition to existing treatments. Recent research has focused on developing such interventions for adults and has reported positive effects. To our knowledge, there is no intervention specifically tackling trauma-related shame in adolescents. Virtual Reality (VR) is a promising tool for such an intervention. Findings suggest that including VR in a treatment results in high treatment satisfaction and that it is highly motivating for its users, which is a crucial component for treatment success. The goal of this study is to test the effectiveness of a short-term VR shame intervention (SHINE-VR) for adolescents suffering from PTSD after having experienced sexual abuse. The primary objectives of this study to assess the effect of SHINE-VR on trauma-related shame, self-compassion, and PTSD symptom reduction, to investigate whether treatment motivation, an increase in self-compassion, and a decrease in trauma-related shame are associated with PTSD symptom reduction, and the evaluation of SHINE-VR by assessing the feasibility of the intervention.
Rationale: Acute stroke leaves many patients with functional deficits, of which upper extremity motor impairment is one of the most disabling. Evidence from imaging and electrophysiological studies converge on the idea that impaired motor function after stroke is associated with disrupted network activity in the brain. Non-invasive brain stimulation methods, like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), can be used to restore disrupted network activity and have been shown to successfully facilitate recovery of motor function in patients with stroke. Application of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), an inhibitory form of TMS, to the contralesional motor cortex has been shown to improve the recovery of motor function in patients with stroke. However, responsiveness to this treatment varies considerably between stroke patients and the mechanisms through which contralesional cTBS facilitates recovery of motor function remain unclear. Objective: To determine if contralesional cTBS normalizes interhemispheric inhibition from the contralesional to ipsilesional primary motor cortex stroke patients with motor impairments. Age-matched healthy persons will serve as controls. Study design: A prospective, open-label within-subject intervention study Study population: 40 patients with first-ever ischemic stroke in one hemisphere and a unilateral paresis of the upper extremity, and 40 age-matched controls. Main endpoints: Primary endpoint: Interhemispheric inhibition from the contralesional to ipsilesional primary motor cortex. Secondary endpoints: contralesional intracortical inhibition; effect of contralesional TMS interference on finger tapping frequency.
Seven per cent of patients suffering from severe mental illness (SMI) need long-term intensive treatment and support in a clinical setting or sheltered living. These service users often experience problems on multiple domains, such as persistent complaints as a result of medication resistance, physical health problems and self-care, psychosocial and cognitive dysfunctioning. Cognitive remediation (CR) training is a type of training aimed at improving thinking abilities (cognitive functioning) and daily functioning. However, we don't yet know if CR training can also help people with SMI who need supported housing due to their severe cognitive and daily living problems. In this project, we are investigating whether we can improve daily functioning in this group by using a form of CR training that focuses on learning new cognitive skills and how to use these new skills in everyday life. Additionally, we are exploring whether combining CR training with mild brain stimulation (transcranial Direct Current Stimulation) can enhance the effects of CR training.
Hypertension affects 32-35% of the global adult population. Despite many drugs being available hypertension is not controlled in 50% of the over 500 million treated people leaving patients with an elevated blood pressure for life. In the development of isolated systolic hypertension, the aorta plays a pivotal role. With each heartbeat, the heart empties its stroke volume into the large arteries. These arteries, particularly the thoracic part of the aorta, temporarily distend to buffer the stroke volume and thereby dampen the pressure fluctuation: they have a Windkessel function. When this function is reduced (and arterial stiffness is increased), the heart needs to contract more forcefully during ejection, leading to isolated systolic hypertension. Likely, the aorta is not just a passive structure (the aorta as an elastic 'bicycle tube'). Rather, the smooth muscle cells in the aorta wall can presumably actively change the aorta's dimension through vasoconstriction/-dilation. If this is the case, such vasoconstriction/-dilation will have direct consequences for the aorta's Windkessel function and, since this Windkessel function directly influences the blood pressure flucturation, also for hypertension and its progression. Therefore, the aim of this study is to quantify the thoracic aorta's ability to vasoconstrict, and to assess whether this contractility is related to specific predictors. During the study we will measure in the operating room the thoracic descending and ascending aortic diameter with transoesopahgeal echocardiography (part of standard clinical care), before and after administration of vasoactive drugs (phenylephrine and norepinephrine; also part of standard clinical care). During these measurements we will simultanesouly measure peripheral arterial blood pressure and an electrocardiogram (ECG, to monitor sympathetic activity as estimated using heart rate variability analysis). Measurements will be performed at Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, the Netherlands (NL), where patients undergo elective cardiac surgery. Using the data obtained, we will 1) establish and quantify the in vivo contractility of the human thoracic aorta, and 2) study whether and to which extent potential predictors (age, sex, smoking status, antihypertensive medication use/class, mean arterial pressure, pulse pressure as an indirect measure of arterial stiffness, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, total cholesterol, and sympathetic activity) influence contractility
The goal of this randomized control trial is to test if contemplating in nature could benefit spiritual well-being in general adults. The main question it aims to answer is: Does a 2-week contemplative nature intervention improve spiritual well-being? Researchers will compare intervention conditions to active control (walking in nature) and passive control (waitlist) conditions to see if contemplating in nature works to improve spirituality. Participants in the intervention condition will walk for 10 minutes and then choose a nice spot to sit for 10 minutes. During these minutes they will be asked to be silently present and observe trees, plants, flowers, or other aspects of nature and contemplate their connectedness to nature and their own awareness. Then walk back 10 minutes. Participants in the active control condition will walk for 30 minutes without further instruction.
The objective of this study is to prospectively compare decongestive therapy administered by the Reprieve DMS system to Optimal Diuretic Therapy (ODT) in the treatment of patients diagnosed with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). The main objective is to determine if the Reprieve DMS is non-inferior to state-of-the-art urine sodium guided aggressive diuretic titration in two European HF centers of excellence.
The goal of this observational study is to explore difficulties in information access, mobility, communication and fatigue in people with combined vision and hearing impairments. The main question it aims to answer is: • What influence do varying severities of vision and hearing loss have on information access, mobility, communication and fatigue. Participants will fill out questionnaires and the researchers will measure their vision and hearing functions.