Magnetoencephalography (MEG) Pilot Study

Summary

The purpose of this research is to learn more about how the brain works in people with essential tremor, and how it changes after treatment with High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HiFU). Essential tremor is a movement disorder that causes shaking, usually in the hands, and can make everyday tasks difficult. HiFU is a treatment that uses focused sound waves to target a small area in the brain involved in tremor. In this study, the investigators aim to understand how this treatment affects the brain's networks by using safe, non-invasive tests such as brain imaging, brain wave recordings, and movement assessments.

Conditions

• Essential Tremor

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

MRI and fMRI scans

functional MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, anatomical MRI

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

MEG

non-invasive electrophysiological technology that provides high temporal and spatial resolution to examine large-scale cortical dynamics.

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Sensor-based motor assessments

research-grade wearable sensors equipped with gyroscopes and accelerometers to precisely and accurately quantify patients' tremors. These sensors will be worn on the wrist or finger, capturing data as patients perform standardized tremor assessment tasks, such as spiral drawing task, writing task, commonly used in essential tremor evaluation. Gait and balance assessments will be conducted by synchronizing multiple sensors placed on the upper and lower extremities as well as the midline. Gait and balance data will be collected during tasks such as the 7-meter walk test, 360-degree turn test, and postural sway.

OTHER

Clinical evaluations

vital signs, health status review, and neurological exam.

OTHER

Questionnaires and rating scales that

daily functioning, mood, memory, and tremor

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Florida

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Justin Hilliard, MD · University of Florida

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

50 Years

Max Age

84 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-02-17

Primary Completion

2027-08-31

Completion

2027-08-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations