TerminatedNot Applicable

Depotentiation in People With Focal Hand Dystonia

United States6 participantsStarted 2014-03-05

Plain-language summary

Background: \- Focal hand dystonia (FHD) causes muscles to contract, leading to abnormal movements or postures. Musicians, writers, and athletes often get it. Researchers want to study how patients with this condition learn, a process of the brain that depends on a property called plasticity. Objective: \- To study brain plasticity in people with FHD. Eligibility: * Right-handed adults 18 years and older with FHD. * Healthy, right-handed adult volunteers. Design: * Participants will be screened with medical history, physical exam, pregnancy test, and questionnaire about their right-handedness. * Participants will have 2 study visits on 2 different days. * Participants will sit in a chair and have up to 30 Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) pulses on the left side of the head. A brief electrical current passes through a wire coil on the scalp. They will hear a click and may feel a pulling on the skin or muscle twitches. They may have to keep their eyes open and remain alert, tense certain muscles, or perform simple finger movements. * Forty more pulses, with 10 seconds between, will be given on the left side of the head. Some will be small, some big. * Researchers will measure muscle response through small electrodes taped to the right hand. * A cloth cap will be put on the participant s head. Researchers will write on tape on the cap. * Participants will have the r-PAS. An electrical stimulator will be placed on the nerve at the right wrist. Repeated magnetic pulses will be delivered in trains or short bursts together with electrical stimulation of nerve. Participants will receive up to 840 pulses. * Participants will be contacted after a few days for a follow-up check.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years – 80 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

* INCLUSION CRITERIA: * Must be 18 years or older * Must be right-handed * FHD includes only writer s cramp * Must be able to provide consent * No open scalp wounds or scalp infections. * Agrees to not drink caffeine or alcohol for 48 hours before study session. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: * Has used illegal drugs within the past 6 months based on history. The intent is to exclude those with drug use that may affect study results. Participants who appear to be intoxicated at the time of testing will be rescheduled. * Has more than 7 alcoholic drinks a week in the case of a woman and 14 alcoholic drinks a week in the case of a man. * Abnormal findings on neurologic exam (other than dystonia in patient group) * Has had a brain tumor, a stroke, head trauma, epilepsy or a history of seizures. * Has major depression or any major mental disorders (axis I disorders) * Has a neurologic disorder other than dystonia * Has had a head injury where there was a loss of consciousness for more than a few seconds. * Has metal in the body, such as a cardiac pacemaker, brain stimulator, shrapnel, surgical metal, clips in the brain, cochlear implants, or metal fragments in the eye, * Has known hearing loss. * Pregnancy and lactation * Taking any medication that acts as a central nervous system stimulant or that is known to lower seizure threshold, including, imipramine, amitriptyline, doxepine, nortriptyline, maprotiline, chlorpromazine, clozapine, foscarnet, ganciclovir, ritonavir, amphetamines, coca…

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Motor evoked potential amplitude

Timeframe: Immediate

Trial details

NCT IDNCT02106936

SponsorNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Sponsor typeNIH

Study typeOBSERVATIONAL

Primary completion2017-06-20

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Focal Dystonia trials