View clinical trials related to Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Filter by:There is a long history of research into body fluid biomarkers in neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases. However, only a few biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are being used in clinical practice. One of the most critical factors in biomarker research is the inadequate linkage of biological samples with data from medical records, environmental exposure, lifestyle information and other medically relevant information. In this context the biobanks are an invaluable resource for medical research and, in particular, for the identification of biomarkers. This project aims to enstablish a biobank for Multiple Sclerosis that allow to collect periodically, at each follow up, clinical data, tissues such as blood and cerebrospinal fluid and DNA, RNA, proteins, from patients afferent at the Centre for the Study and Cure of Multiple Sclerosis in Neurological Institute "Neuromed", Pozzilli, Isernia. The samples stored in this biobank are examined by quantization of a potential innovative biomarker focused on the formation of circulating mitochondrial DNA. Fragments of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are released outside the cell and they appear to persist in extracellular fluids as circulating, cell-free, mtDNA (ccf-mtDNA). This occurs during acute inflammation, which anticipates the neurodegenerative process. Thus, an increase in inflammatory cells in the affected regions is expected to add on mtDNA release into the CSF. Thus, ccf-mtDNA may represent a powerful biomarker for disease screening and prognosis at early stage, although its biological role may extend to generating the neurobiology of disease. Aims: 1. Identify a technique that allows to isolate, the mitochondrial DNA circulating from different biological tissues (Droplet Digital PCR, Real Time PCR). 2. Use different technologies to quantify the presence of circulating mitochondrial DNA 3. Use circulating mitochondrial DNA as a biomarker of neurodegenerative and / or neuroinflammatory pathologies. It is essential to understand the tissue specific origin of circulating mtDNA for both diagnostic and therapeutic considerations. . We believe that our current knowledge on cell free circulating mtDNA is in a rather exploratory phase with a potential for the future to rewrite the pathology of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality such as inflammatory conditions, autoimmune disorders, cancer, heart disease, stroke and injury.
This prospective study aims: 1. to compare cognitive performance in different clinical groups of participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia [Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI) and Fronto-temporal Dementia (FTD)] to determine whether scores reveal differential profiles between the groups, 2. to demonstrate differences in imaging markers between different dementia syndromes and healthy volunteers using ultra high-field MRI at 7T.
Greater advances are needed in two separate but related areas in healthcare: 1) the Clinical Decision Support Systems that complement the EHR use in support of routine patient care, population management and disease management; and 2) the use of the point-of-care observational data from the provider-patient encounter that support realworld medical research and healthcare quality measure assessment. Real-world evaluations of treatments of chronic diseases in the context of comorbid conditions and special populations (minorities, women, mentally ill, and those with addiction) are limited. The purpose of the OPERA database is to help address this unmet need in clinical research.
Neurological and neurodegenerative diseases have a major impact in families and in the national health service due to the lack in many cases of effective and long-lasting therapies. The lack of these therapeutic strategies is due in large part to the difficulty of modeling these pathologies in vitro. In fact, the impossibility of being able to cultivate human neurons in vitro has forced the use of animal cell models that do not adequately recapitulate the complexity of these human pathologies. For this reason it is necessary to proceed with the development of in vitro models of human origin that reproduce the molecular and biochemical characteristics of these diseases. The discovery of cellular reprogramming allowed the generation of pluripotent stem cells from the conversion of somatic cells taken from adult individuals. The proposing group already has great experience in generating iPS cells by reprogramming and in differentiating them into neurons and glias useful for neurological disease cellular studies. As an example, Dr. Broccoli's group has generated iPS cells from patients with Parkinson's disease and mutations in the OPA1 gene. The study of neurons differentiated by these iPS cells allowed to identify mitochondrial defects at the base of neuronal dysfunctions and to identify for the first time how the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons also depends on a moving mode of cell death called necroptosis. The investigators therefore propose to establish lines of iPS cells from patients with genetic mutations responsible for neurological and neurodegenerative diseases to generate neuronal and glial models in vitro for the study of pathological mechanisms and the validation of new future experimental therapies.
Today, the Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis is founded not only on clinical criteria but also on complementary examinations to confirm a physiopathological process of AD. In complex cases, lumbar punction could be necessary in order to measure Aβ peptides and Total and phosphorylated Tau but new biomarkers could be useful. The main objective of this project is to conserve these cerebrospinal fluids, collected in usual practice in order to validate new biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis or therapeutic following of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia.
NSHDS (Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study) is an umbrella term for a prospective biobank with related survey data. The sample collection consists of three subcohorts, Västerbotten Intervention Programme (VIP), Mammography Screening Project (MA) and MONICA (MONItoring of Trends and Determinants in CArdiovascular Disease). The blood samples are stored at the Northern Sweden Biobank.
The purpose of this study is to understand the course of rare genetic disorders that affect the brain. This data is being analyzed to gain a better understanding of the progression of the rare neurodegenerative disorders and the effects of interventions.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the beneficial effects of regular exercise and the impact of food supplement carnosine on cognitive, motoric and metabolic functions as well as on specific biologically active substances in volunteers with subjective (SCI) or mild (MCI) cognitive impairment, as well as in patients in early stages of Parkinson's disease. The investigators assume the immediate intervention-associated health benefit for volunteers.
This study aims to develop and evaluate biomarkers using non-invasive optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) as well as ultra-widefield (UWF) fundus photography to assess the structure and function of the retinal and choroidal microvasculature and structure in persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), or other neurodegenerative disease, diseases as outlined.
Background: Neurodegenerative disorders can lead to problems in movement or memory. Some can cause abnormal proteins to build up in brain cells. Researchers want to understand whether these diseases have related causes or risk factors. Objective: To test people with movement or thinking and memory problems to see if they are eligible for research studies. Eligibility: People ages 18 and older with a neurodegenerative disorder associated with accumulation of TDP-43 or Tau proteins Design: Participants will have a screening visit. This may take place over 2-3 days. Tests include: Medical history Physical exam Questions about behavior and mood Tests of memory, attention, concentration, and thinking Movement measurement. The speed at which participants can stand up from a chair, tap their finger and foot, and walk a short distance will be measured. Some movements will be videotaped. They will be videotaped while they speak and read a paragraph. Blood tests. This might include genetic testing. Lung and breathing tests MRI. They will lie on a table that slides into a cylinder that takes pictures of the body. Some participants will get a dye through IV. Electromyography. A thin needle will be inserted into the muscles to measure electrical signals. Nerve tests. Small electrodes on the skin record muscle and nerve activity. A small piece of skin may be removed. A skin or blood sample may be taken to create stem cells. Optional lumbar puncture. A needle will be inserted into the space between the bones of the back to collect fluid. If participants are not eligible for current studies, they may be contacted in the future.