Neural Correlates of Impulsivity in Idiopathic REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

Recruiting

• Conditions: Parkinson Disease
• Interventions: Other: No intervention

• Registration Number: NCT05353855
• Lead Sponsor: Chinese University of Hong Kong

Brief Summary

This study aims to investigate the neural correlates (structural changes, functional connectivity, and structural connectivity of brain structures in prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia) of impulsivity by measuring structures and the blood-oxygen-level-dependent signal of brain in response to impulsive tasks and task-free using functional Magnetic Resonance Image method among healthy controls, patient with prodromal PD (iRBD), and patients with PD.

Detailed Description

Background: Excessive impulsivity is an important non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD), especially for those on dopamine agonist treatment. Dopaminergic dysfunction has been highly correlated with impulsivity. Given that idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) is a prodromal stage of alpha-synucleinopathy, such as PD, the dysfunction of dopaminergic system at this early stage may also precipitate alternation of impulsivity.

Hypothesis and objectives: iRBD may have altered impulsivity which is similar to that found in de novo PD and may serve as a biomarker in differentiating iRBD from healthy controls. This study aims to investigate the neural correlates (structural changes, functional connectivity, and structural connectivity of brain structures in prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia) of impulsivity by measuring structures and the blood-oxygen-level-dependent signal of brain in response to impulsive tasks and task-free using functional Magnetic Resonance Image method among healthy controls, patient with prodromal PD (iRBD), and patients with PD.

Design and subjects: This is a case-control study that will recruit 96 subjects (24 healthy controls, 24 patients with iRBD, 24 PD patients on dopaminergic medication and 24 PD patients who are not on dopaminergic medication).

Main outcome measures: 1) The difference in brain activity in response to impulsivity tasks between groups; 2) The difference in structure volume, structural and functional connectivity of region of interest related to impulsivity (prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia) between groups; 3) The association of these changes with the stage of disease from healthy, to prodromal, and to clinically diagnosed PD.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2022-01-01
• Study First Submitted: 2022-01-13
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-04-25
• Study First Posted: 2022-04-29
• Status Verified: 2024-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-04-17
• Last Update Posted: 2024-04-19
• Primary Completion: 2024-11-30
• Study Completion: 2024-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 96

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age-and sex-matched with the groups;
2. Being capable of giving informed consent for participation of the study;
3. Without a personal history or a family history of PD or RBD;
4. A total score on REM Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (RBDQ-HK) less than 19, which is the suggestive cut-off of a diagnosis of RBD;
5. Absence of self-report dream enactment behaviors and RSWA as measured by v-PSG

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Exclusion Criteria

1. Having a history of ICD diagnosis or ICD symptom(s) assessed with Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease-Rating Scale (QUIP-RS);
2. Presence of narcolepsy or other neurodegenerative diseases (except for PD group) that may give rise to RBD;
3. Presence of mood disorder which may have great impact on impulsivity;
4. A total score of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) ≤ 22 and the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) ≥ 1, indicating dementia;
5. Except for early medicated PD patients, if subjects from other groups who are on medication that may induce impulsivity, such as dopaminergic medication, will be excluded;
6. Contraindication to MRI (e.g., presence of implants or claustrophobia).

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Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
iRBD patients	No intervention	1. Chinese aged 50 or above; 2. Being capable of giving informed consent for participation of the study; 3. Having a diagnosis of RBD according to the International classification of sleep disorder 3rd edition (ICSD 3rd), fulfilling both the clinical and video-polysomnography (vPSG) criteria.
Early unmedicated PD patients converted from iRBD	No intervention	1. Chinese aged 50 or above; 2. Being capable of giving informed consent for participation of the study; 3. Having a diagnosis of PD confirmed by neurologists according to the United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Survey Brain Bank. 4. Onset of PD motor symptoms of \< 3 years; 5. In view of the heterogeneity of PD, the investigator will only include those patients with RBD preceding the onset of motor symptoms of PD. 6. Drug naïve (dopaminergic medications have not been started)
Early medicated PD patients converted from iRBD	No intervention	Inclusion criteria will be the same as that of early unmedicated PD except that they should be on dopaminergic medications.
Healthy controls	No intervention	1. Age-and sex-matched with the groups; 2. Being capable of giving informed consent for participation of the study; 3. Without a personal history or a family history of PD or RBD; 4. A total score on REM Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (RBDQ-HK) less than 19, which is the suggestive cut-off of a diagnosis of RBD; 5. Absence of self-report dream enactment behaviors and RSWA as measured by v-PSG.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Brain activity	1 year	To access different cognitive aspects in neurobehavioral impulsivity such as BART, TCIP and SKIP between groups

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The Chinese University of Hong Kong; 🇭🇰 Hong Kong, Hong Kong