View clinical trials related to Movement Disorder.
Filter by:In this study the investigators evaluate the effectivity of Virtual Reality-based rehabilitation protocols for preventing motor deterioration in patients with cerebral palsy.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether domiciliary VR-based telerehabilitation is superior than domiciliary occupational therapy for inducing functional gains, enhancing corticospinal excitability, and cortical reorganization.
Background: Dystonia is a movement disorder in which a person s muscles contract on their own. This causes different parts of the body to twist or turn. The cause of this movement is unknown. Researchers think it may have to do with a chemical called acetylcholine. They want to learn more about why acetylcholine in the brain doesn t work properly in people with dystonia. Objective: To better understand how certain parts of the brain take up acetylcholine in people with dystonia. Eligibility: Adults at least 18 years old who have DYT1 dystonia or cervical dystonia. Healthy adult volunteers. Design: Participants will be screened with a medical history, physical exam, and pregnancy test. Study visit 1: Participants will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain. The MRI scanner is a metal cylinder in a strong magnetic field that takes pictures of the brain. Participants will lie on a table that slides in and out of the cylinder. Study visit 2: Participants will have a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. The PET scanner is shaped like a doughnut. Participants will lie on a bed that slides in and out of the scanner. A small amount of a radioactive chemical that can be detected by the PET scanner will be given through an IV line to measure how the brain takes up acetylcholine. ...
A randomized trial investigating if effects of a goal-directed task oriented intervention is influenced by who takes the decision and establishes the goal (the child or the parent) and whether establishing a goal per se influence performance and goal-achievement. The main hypothesis are that children's participation in the goal-setting process would positively influence goal achievement, children's self-identified goals would be achievable and that both groups would achieve goals that were the target of a goal-directed intervention.
Background: - Motor stereotypies are a movement disorder characterized by involuntary, repetitive, and rhythmic movements. These movements have a predictable pattern and seem purposeful, but they serve no obvious function, tend to be prolonged, and can be suppressed. Common examples of motor stereotypies include hand waving, head nodding, and body rocking. - Researchers are interested in learning more about motor stereotypies. Many children with autism and other developmental disorders tend to exhibit these behaviors, but normal healthy children and even some adults have demonstrated motor stereotypies under certain conditions (including boredom and stress). More research is needed to determine the internal causes of and potential successful treatments for these behaviors. Objectives: - To use electroencephalography (EEG) to study cerebral activity related to stereotypies in children. Eligibility: - Children between 7 and 18 years of age who demonstrate stereotypy movements on a consistent basis (at least 10 times a day for at least 4 months). Design: - The study will require two visits to the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. - First visit: Outpatient screening visit to determine the child s eligibility for the study, including questionnaires for parents/guardians and a medical assessment of the stereotypies. - Second visit: Participating children will spend 1 day in a room at the NIH Clinical Center Pediatric Day Hospital. During the visit, participants will wear a portable EEG unit to measure brain activity. For the first hour of the visit, researchers will perform movement tests to study the brain activity related to normal movements. For the rest of the day, participants may play games, watch television or movies, read, or nap, while continuing to wear the EEG to monitor brain activity related to the stereotypic movements. - Participants will receive a small amount of compensation for their time and participation.
The precise mechanisms underlying cerebral regulation of lower urinary tract (LUT) function are still poorly understood. Patients with deep brain stimulation (DBS) offer the unique opportunity to investigate the role of different cerebral centers on LUT function. We hypothesize that DBS has a significant effect on LUT function and that these effects depend on the specific stimulated cerebral center.
This study will use various methods to measure the activity of the motor cortex (the part of the brain that controls movements) in order to learn more about focal hand dystonia. Patients with dystonia have muscle spasms that cause uncontrolled twisting and repetitive movement or abnormal postures. In focal dystonia, just one part of the body, such as the hand, neck or face, is involved. Patients with focal hand dystonia and healthy normal volunteers between 18 and 65 years of age may be eligible for this study. Each candidate is screened with a medical history, physical examination and questionnaire. Participants undergo the following procedures: Finger Movement Tasks Subjects perform two finger movement tasks. In the first part of the study, they move their index finger repetitively from side to side at 10-second intervals for a total of 200 movements in four blocks of 50 at a time. In the second part of the study, subjects touch their thumb to the other four fingers in sequence from 1, 2, 3 and 4, while a metronome beats 2 times per second to help time the movements. This sequence is repeated for a total of 200 movements in four blocks of 50 at a time. Electroencephalography This test records brain waves. Electrodes (metal discs) are placed on the scalp with an electrode cap, a paste or a glue-like substance. The spaces between the electrodes and the scalp are filled with a gel that conducts electrical activity. Brain waves are recorded while the subject performs a finger movement task, as described above. Magnetoencephalography MEG records magnetic field changes produced by brain activity. During the test, the subjects are seated in the MEG recording room and a cone containing magnetic field detectors is lowered onto their head. The recording may be made while the subject performs a finger task. Electromyography Electromyography (EMG) measures the electrical activity of muscles. This study uses surface EMG, in which small metal disks filled with a conductive gel are taped to the skin on the finger. Magnetic resonance imaging MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images of body tissues and organs. The patient lies on a table that can slide in and out of the scanner (a narrow metal cylinder), wearing earplugs to muffle loud knocking and thumping sounds that occur during the scanning. Most scans last between 45 and 90 minutes. Subjects may be asked to lie still for up to 30 minutes at a time, and can communicate with the MRI staff at all times during the procedure. Questionnaire This questionnaire is designed to detect any sources of discomfort the subject may have experienced during the study.
This study will look for abnormalities in a brain of persons affected with spasmodic dysphonia, a form of movement disorder that involves involuntary "spasms" of the muscles in the vocal folds causing breaks of speech and affecting voice quality. The causes of this disorder are not known. The study will compare results of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in people with spasmodic dysphonia and in healthy volunteers. People with adductor or abductor spasmodic dysphonia and healthy volunteers may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a medical history, physical examination, and a test called nasolaryngoscopy. For this test, the inside of the subject's nose is sprayed with a decongestant, and a small, flexible tube called a nasolaryngoscope is passed through the nose to the back of the throat to allow examination of the larynx (voice box). During this procedure, the subject is asked to perform tasks such as talking, singing, whistling, and saying prolonged vowels. The nasolaryngoscope is connected to a camera to record the movements of the vocal folds during these tasks. Eligible participants then undergo MRI of the brain. MRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves instead of x-rays to obtain images of body organs and tissues. For this test, the subject lies on a table that slides into the MRI scanner, a narrow metal cylinder, wearing ear plugs to muffle loud knocking sound that occurs during the scan. During MRI anatomical images of the brain are obtained. Subject may be asked to participate in up to two scanning sessions. Each session takes about 1-1/2 hours. Participants may also be asked to volunteer for a brain donation program which is optional. Information gained from donated tissue may lead to better treatments and potential cures for spasmodic dysphonia.
This study will explore the risks and causes of Parkinson's disease, a chronic progressive nervous system disorder. Patients typically have tremors, muscle weakness and a shuffling gait. Patients with Parkinson's disease, their relatives and healthy volunteers may be eligible for this study. Candidates must be 18 years of age or older. Patients whose parkinsonism is due to a secondary cause, such as infection or injury, and healthy volunteers who have a first degree family member (parent, grandparent, child, sibling) with Parkinson's disease are excluded from enrollment. Participants are asked about possible symptoms they may have and about their general health. They provide a blood sample to obtain DNA for genetic analysis to look for genetic differences that might be related to risks for Parkinson's disease. White blood cells may be treated in the laboratory to grow a cell line, which provides a source of substances in the blood without having to draw samples repeatedly.
This study will use transcranial magnetic stimulation to examine how the brain controls movement by sending messages to the spinal cord and muscles and what goes wrong with this process in disease. Normal healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 65 years may be eligible to participate. In transcranial magnetic stimulation, an insulated wire coil is placed on the subject's scalp or skin. Brief electrical currents are passed through the coil, creating magnetic pulses that stimulate the brain. During the stimulation, participants will be asked to tense certain muscles slightly or perform other simple actions. The electrical activity of the muscle will be recorded on a computer through electrodes applied to the skin over the muscle. In most cases, the study will last less than 3 hours.