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Investigating the Use of Complex Pulse Shapes for DBS in Movement Disorders

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Parkinson Disease
Essential Tremor
Registration Number
NCT04725045
Lead Sponsor
KU Leuven
Brief Summary

Parkinson's disease and essential tremor are chronic movement disorders for which there is no cure. When medication is no longer effective, deep brain stimulation (DBS) is recommended. Standard DBS is a neuromodulation method that uses a simple monophasic pulse, delivered from an electrode to stimulate neurons in a target brain area. This monophasic pulse spreads out from the electrode creating a broad, electric field that stimulates a large neural population. This can often effectively reduce motor symptoms. However, many DBS patients experience side effects - caused by stimulation of non-target neurons - and suboptimal symptom control - caused by inadequate stimulation of the correct neural target. The ability to carefully manipulate the stimulating electric field to target specific neural subpopulations could solve these problems and improve patient outcomes. The use of complex pulse shapes, specifically biphasic pulses and asymmetric pre-pulses, can control the temporal properties of the stimulation field. Evidence suggests that temporal manipulations of the stimulation field can exploit biophysical differences in neurons to target specific subpopulations. Therefore, our aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of complex pulse shapes to reduce side effects and improve symptom control in DBS movement patients.

Detailed Description

The study had three stages. In the first stage, a wide range of investigatory pulse shapes in a small number of patients. The effect of the pulses on the therapeutic window will be assessed.

Stage 2 will perform a short-term chronic evaluation in a larger number of patients of the complex pulse shape selected as most interesting from stage 1.

* ET patients will first be assessed after 3 hours of the cathodic or complex pulse (double-blind design).

* PD patients will only be assessed after 1 week of each pulse.

Stage 3 will then focus on long-term evaluation (upto 2 years). Outcomes: see stage 2.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
28
Inclusion Criteria
  • Post-op the implanted electrodes pass an integrity check, i.e. no open or shorted electrodes.
  • Stable medications
  • Lack of dementia or depression.
  • Patient is willing and able to comply with all visits and study related procedures
  • Patient understands the study requirements and the treatment procedures and provides written informed consent before any study-specific tests or procedures are performed.
  • Patient can tolerate at least 12 hours OFF medication and per clinical judgement be able to perform all study related procedures
Exclusion Criteria
  • Any significant psychiatric problems, including unrelated clinically significant depression.
  • Any current drug or alcohol abuse.
  • Any history of recurrent or unprovoked seizures.
  • Have any significant medical condition that is likely to interfere with study procedures or likely to confound evaluation of study endpoints, including any terminal illness with survival <12 months.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Stage 1: Therapeutic window = Amplitude at which therapeutic benefit is obtained versus amplitude at which side-effects occur, both expressed in mA (milliamperes).Immediately after testing

Amplitude at which therapeutic benefit is obtained versus amplitude at which side-effects occur, both expressed in mA (milliamperes).

Stage 2 ET (3 hours): ataxia scoresMeasured after 3 hours of stimulation

ICARS (International cooperative ataxia rating scale): total score. Max 100 (higher score for more ataxia).

Stage 2 ET (1 week): number of treatment-related adverse events as assessed by CTCAE v4.0During 1 week of stimulation

Follow-up of (S)AE related to the study during that week

Stage 2 PD (1 week): number of treatment-related adverse events as assessed by CTCAE v4.0During 1 week of stimulation

Follow-up of (S)AE related to the study during that week

Stage 3 ET (2 years): number of treatment-related adverse events as assessed by CTCAE v4.0During 2 years of stimulation

Follow-up of (S)AE related to the study during those 2 years

Stage 2 ET (3 hours): tremor scoresMeasured after 3 hours of stimulation

FTM (Fahn-Tolosa-Marin) total score. Max 116 (higher score for more tremor).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Stage 2 ET (1 week): tremor measured with Kinesia One wearableMeasured after 1 week of stimulation

Amount of postural tremor and kinetic tremor in both hands (max 4 per side, higher score for more tremor)

Stage 2 PD (1 week): assessment motor symptoms in Parkinson'sMeasured after 1 week of stimulation

MDS-UPDRS-III (Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, part III). Max 132, higher score for more parkinsonian symptoms.

Stage 1: Number of participants with treatment-related adverse events as assessed by CTCAE v4.0Upto one week after the study visit of stage 1

Follow-up of (S)AE related to the study upto 1 week after the experiment

Stage 2 ET (3 hours): ataxia subscoresMeasured at 1 hours, 2 hours and 3 hours after start of stimulation

ICARS (international cooperative ataxia rating scale): item 10 (max 8, higher score for more ataxia)

Stage 2 ET (1 week): cognitionMeasured after 1 week of stimulation

MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment). Max 30, higher score for better cognition.

Stage 2 ET (3 hours): tremor subscoresMeasured at 1 hours, 2 hours and 3 hours after start of stimulation

FTM (Fahn-Tolosa-Marin) subscores: items 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13 (max 48, higher score for more tremor)

Stage 2 ET (3 hours): speech assessment (least dysarthria)Measured at 1 hours, 2 hours and 3 hours after start of stimulation

Tests: sustained phonation /a/, diadochokinesis /tatata/, text reading and spontaneous speech Outcome: which of both pulses has less dysarthria per test (either cathodic pulse, either experimental pulse)

Stage 2 ET (1 week): ataxia subscores and total scoreMeasured after 1 week of stimulation

ICARS (international cooperative ataxia rating scale):

* total score: max 100, higher score for more ataxia

* subscore: item 10 (max 8, higher score for more ataxia)

Stage 2 ET (1 week): tremor time measured with Kinesia 360Measured during 1 week of stimulation

Amount of tremor time measured with Kinesia 360 wearable (%, higher score for more tremor time)

Stage 2 PD (1 week): assessment non-motor symptoms in Parkinson'sMeasured after 1 week of stimulation

NMSS (non-motor symptoms scale). Max 30, higher scores for more symptoms.

Stage 2 ET (1 week): tremor scores and subscoresMeasured after 1 week of stimulation

FTM (Fahn-Tolosa-Marin) tremor rating scale:

* total score (max 116, higher score for more tremor)

* subscores: items 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13 (max 48, higher score for more tremor)

Stage 2 ET (1 week): quality-of-lifeMeasured once daily during 1 week of stimulation

VAS (visual analogue scale) for:

* amount of tremor

* discomfort due to tremor Max 10, higher scores for worse outcome.

Stage 2 PD (1 week): assessment motor symptoms in Parkinson's with Kinesia 360 wearableMeasured after 1 week of stimulation

Wearable score amount of time that patient was bradykinetic and dyskinetic. Expressed as %, higher scores for more symptoms

Stage 2 ET (3 hours): Therapeutic window: Amplitude to elicit tremor arrest, amplitude to elicit ataxia, amplitude to elicit stim-induced side-effectsImmediately after testing

Amplitude to elicit tremor arrest, amplitude to elicit ataxia, amplitude to elicit stimulation-induced side-effects (all expressed in mA)

Stage 2 ET (1 week): speech assessment (least dysarthria)Measured after 1 week of stimulation

Tests: sustained phonation /a/, diadochokinesis /tatata/, text reading and spontaneous speech Outcome: which of both pulses has less dysarthria per test (either cathodic pulse, either experimental pulse)

Stage 2 PD (1 week): therapeutic window (amplitude at loss of rigidity and amplitude at stim-induced side-effects)Immediately after testing

Amplitude at loss of rigidity and amplitude at stimulation-induced side-effects

Stage 2 PD (1 week): assessment of motor symptoms in Parkinson's with Kinesia One wearableMeasured after 1 week of stimulation

Wearable scores finger tapping and hand opening. Max 4 per item, higher scores for more symptoms.

Stage 2 PD (1 week): assessment of speech (least dysarthria)Measured after 1 week of stimulation

Tests: sustained phonation /a/, diadochokinesis /tatata/, text reading and spontaneous speech Outcome: which of both pulses has less dysarthria per test (either cathodic pulse, either experimental pulse)

Stage 2 PD (1 week): cognitionMeasured after 1 week of stimulation

MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment). Max 30, higher score for better cognition.

Stage 2 PD (1 week): quality-of-lifeMeasured once daily during 1 week of stimulation

VAS (visual analogue scale) for:

* amount of parkinsonian symptoms

* discomfort due to parkinsonian symptoms Max 10, higher scores for worse outcome.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

KU Leuven

🇧🇪

Leuven, Belgium

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