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Brain Anatomy in Dystonia

NCT00031369 · Status: TERMINATED · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 189

Last updated 2017-10-06

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This study will use high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look for subtle differences in brain anatomy between patients with focal hand dystonia (also called writer s cramp) and healthy normal volunteers. Patients with hand dystonia have prolonged muscle contractions that cause sustained twisting movements and abnormal postures. These abnormal movements often occur with activities such as writing, typing, playing certain musical instruments such as guitar or piano, or playing golf or darts.

Patients with focal hand dystonia and healthy volunteers will be enrolled in this study. Patients will be recruited from NINDS s database of patients with focal hand dystonia. Volunteers will be selected to match the patients in age, sex and handedness.

This study involves two visits to the NIH Clinical Center. The first visit is a screening visit, in which patients and volunteers will have a medical history, physical examination, neurological examination, and assessment of handedness. Women of childbearing age will be screened with a pregnancy test. Pregnant women are exclude from this study.

Those who join the study will return for a second visit for magnetic resonance imaging. MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images of the brain. For the procedure, the participant lies still on a stretcher that is moved into the scanner (a narrow cylinder containing the magnet). Earplugs are worn to muffle loud noises caused by electrical switching of radio frequency circuits used in the scanning process. The scan will last about 45 to 60 minutes, at most. Some volunteers may be asked to return for a third visit to obtain a second MRI on a different scanner.

Conditions

  • Dystonia
  • Healthy

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

    lead NIH

Principal Investigators

  • Mark Hallett, M.D. · National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2002-02-27
Completion
2015-03-10

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00031369 on ClinicalTrials.gov