Neurology

Below are current clinical trials.

Filter this list of studies by location, status and more.

1. Magnetic Resonance Elastography of Dementia

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to develop and test the effectiveness of an investigational imaging technique called magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) to measure the stiffness (mechanical properties) of tissues.

2. Human Blood and Tissues Repository for Neuroscience Research

   Jacksonville, Fla.

   The purpose of this study is to collect adult human blood, cerebrospinal fluid, brain, and spine tissues/fluids at time of surgery in order to conduct future studies of the cellular mechanisms of tissue invasion utilized by brain and spine tumors of the central nervous system (CNS).

3. A Study to Evaluate Advanced Development of Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry for Intraoperative Molecular Diagnosis of Brain Cancer

   Jacksonville, Fla.

   The purpose of this study is to explore the translational abilities of desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) as intraoperative diagnostic tool to identify cancerous versus noncancerous tissue and estimate the percentage of tumor infiltration in tissue biopsies, by monitoring depletion of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and aberrations of the phospholipid signature of neurological tissue; and to identify the presence of IDH mutations by monitoring the 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) and, therefore, differentiate between IDH-mutant and wild-type gliomas.

4. A Study of the Drugs Selumetinib Versus Carboplatin/Vincristine in Patients With Neurofibromatosis and Low-Grade Glioma

   Rochester, Minn.

   The pupose of this study is to evaluate whether or not selumetinib works just as well as the standard treatment with carboplatine/vincristine (CV) for subjects with NF1-associated low grade glioma (LGG), and to see if selumetinib is better than CV in improving vision in subjects with LGG of the optic pathway (vision nerves). Selumetinib is a drug that works by blocking some enzymes that low grade glioma tumor cells need for their growth. This results in killing tumor cells. Drugs used as chemotherapy, such as carboplatin and vincristine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. It is not yet known whether selumetinib works better in treating patients with NF1-associated low-grade glioma compared to standard therapy with carboplatin and vincristine.

5. Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is to determine and compare the safety and efficacy of transcutaneous afferent patterned stimulation (TAPS) and respiratory-gated auricular vagal afferent nerve stimulation (RAVANS) therapies for the reduction of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) burden.

6. Blood and Spinal Fluid Collection for Research Studies in Motor Neuron Disease and Motor Neuropathy

   Rochester, Minn.

   The purpose of this study is so that blood (plasma and blood cells) and/or extra spinal fluid (which was taken for clinical purposes) can be obtained and stored for later research on a large cohort of patients with progressive motor neuronopathies and neuropathies, many of which will be determined to suffer from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). 

7. A Study to Develop A Family Registry to Collect Alzheimer's Biomarkers

   Jacksonville, Fla.

   The overall purpose of this research is to understand how ADAD develops in order to eventually provide treatments for this disorder. Each biological child of a person with an ADAD mutation has a 50% risk of inheriting the mutation, and thus of developing ADAD. This study will develop a registry of families with a known ADAD mutation and will collect, analyze and bank data, tissue, and brain images from the members who participate in the DIAN research study. The data and tissue collected are available to all qualified researchers who wish to determine what changes occur before and after ADAD symptoms start. This understanding may lead to better tests and treatments for ADAD.

    

8. Advanced Care Planning in Dementia

   Jacksonville, Fla.

   The goal of this study is to gain a better understanding of the status of advanced care planning among caregivers of patients with dementia and examine how this differs by race and disease stage.

9. Multiscale EEG Dynamics

   Rochester, Minn., Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz.

   The purpose if this study  to combine state of the art cerebral signal processing techniques and localization methods with intracranial electrode recordings to investigate the interaction of local hippocampal and neocortical networks with distributed brain activity.

10. A Study of the Possible Use of a New Imaging Method with Glioma Tumors

    Rochester, Minn., Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz.

    The purpose of this study is to see if Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) a recently developed imaging technique can be used to characterize and help stage glioma tumors and evaluate response to therapy.