Novel Stimulation Patterns for the Treatment of Dystonia

Completed

Conditions studied: Dystonia, Cervical Dystonia

In brief

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective surgical therapy for select Dystonia patients who are refractory to medications or who have generalized symptoms (e.g. patients with Early-Onset Primary Dystonia(DYT1) mutations and other dystonia subtypes). DBS patients typically experience significant improvement in disabling symptoms; however, detailed programming is always required, and stimulation-induced side effects commonly emerge. Clinicians may empirically vary voltage, pulse width, frequency and also the active contacts on the DBS lead to achieve observed optimal benefits. The majority of DBS patients undergo repeat surgeries to replace the implantable pulse generator (IPG) every 2.5 to 5 years. It has been demonstrated that, in dystonia patients, that higher settings are required for adequate symptomatic control, and that neurostimulators have a considerably shorter life when compared to neurostimulators from patients with essential tremor or Parkinson's disease. Additionally, several smaller studies have suggested that alternative pulse stimulation properties and pulse shape modifications can lower IPG battery consumption. Newer patterns of stimulation (regularity of pulses and shapes of pulses) have not been widely tested in clinical practice, and are not part of the current FDA device labeling. Novel patterns of stimulation do however, have the potential to improve symptoms, reduce side effects, and to preserve the neurostimulator life. The current research proposal will prospectively study biphasic pulse stimulation paradigms and its effects on dystonic symptoms. The investigators aim to demonstrate that we can tailor DBS settings to address dystonia symptoms, improve the safety profile, characterize distinct clinical advantages, and carefully document the safety and neurostimulator battery consumption profile for biphasic stimulation.

Key facts

Study ID
NCT02468843
Run by
University of Florida
People needed
10
Starts
2015-07-01
Expected to finish
2016-08-01
Last updated by the study team
2016-10-27

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 80. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

You may not qualify if…

Where it is running

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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