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Neurofeedback for Cerebellar Ataxia

N/A
Waitlist Available
Led By Cherie Marvel, PhD
Research Sponsored by Johns Hopkins University
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Clinical diagnosis of progressive, degenerative cerebellar ataxia by a movement disorder specialist (cerebellar ataxia of unknown etiology, and spinocerebellar ataxias with and without genetic confirmation)
18-100 years of age
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up baseline and at-home sessions (10 minutes/day), up to 23 days
Awards & highlights

Study Summary

This trial uses neuroimaging and mental imagery to attempt to improve motor function in people with cerebellar ataxia. If successful, it could reduce motor deficits and improve quality of life for those with the condition.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for right-handed adults aged 18-100 with a clinical diagnosis of progressive cerebellar ataxia. Participants should have at least an 8th-grade education and no severe medical or neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders, or conditions that prevent MRI use. They must not be pregnant and should have internet access for home therapy.Check my eligibility
What is being tested?
The study tests if neurofeedback treatment using real-time fMRI and motor imagery can improve motor timing and precision in people with cerebellar ataxia. It aims to 'exercise' the brain's motor networks to reduce deficits caused by cerebellar atrophy.See study design
What are the potential side effects?
Since this intervention involves non-invasive techniques like fMRI scanning and mental exercises, there are minimal expected side effects. However, some participants might experience discomfort from lying still during scans or fatigue from concentration.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
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I have been diagnosed with progressive cerebellar ataxia by a specialist.
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I am between 18 and 100 years old.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~baseline and at-home sessions (10 minutes/day), up to 23 days
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and baseline and at-home sessions (10 minutes/day), up to 23 days for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Outcome measures can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary outcome measures
Change in at-home overt tapping accuracy as assessed by finger tapping to a flashing cue at 1Hz speed
Change in at-home overt tapping accuracy as assessed by finger tapping to a flashing cue at 4Hz speed
Change in overt tapping accuracy as assessed by finger tapping to a flashing cue at 1Hz speed
+1 more
Secondary outcome measures
The correlation between MRI BOLD and finger tapping accuracy to a flashing cue at 1Hz as assessed by a correlation coefficient
The correlation between MRI BOLD and finger tapping accuracy to a flashing cue at 4Hz as assessed by a correlation coefficient
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
+1 more

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Real time neurofeedback with taskExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants will undergo a real-time fMRI scan during which two distinct tasks will be performed.
Group II: Overt tapping and/or motor imagery practiceExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants will undergo an overt tapping task at baseline. Participants are assigned to a group where the participants will then perform respective motor and/or imagery tasks at home for 3 weeks.
Treatment
First Studied
Drug Approval Stage
How many patients have taken this drug
Neurofeedback treatment
2014
N/A
~190
At-home therapy
2023
N/A
~40

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

Johns Hopkins UniversityLead Sponsor
2,260 Previous Clinical Trials
14,820,759 Total Patients Enrolled
4 Trials studying Cerebellar Ataxia
228 Patients Enrolled for Cerebellar Ataxia
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityOTHER
142 Previous Clinical Trials
27,785 Total Patients Enrolled
1 Trials studying Cerebellar Ataxia
12 Patients Enrolled for Cerebellar Ataxia
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)NIH
1,340 Previous Clinical Trials
649,343 Total Patients Enrolled
8 Trials studying Cerebellar Ataxia
420 Patients Enrolled for Cerebellar Ataxia

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

What is the ultimate goal of this medical experiment?

"The main objective of this clinical trial, monitored over a 10 minute/day At-home sessions for up to 23 days time frame, is to gauge the Change in overt tapping accuracy as determined by finger tapping at 1Hz speed. Secondary metrics that must be tracked include correlating MRI BOLD with finger tapping accuracy through correlation coefficients from -1 to 1; assessing KVIQ and imagery precision on an MR imaging task via another set of correlation coefficients ranging from 0-100; and finally measuring Blood Oxygen Level Dependence (BOLD) vs. Finger Tapping Accuracy at 4 Hz speed utilizing yet another group of correlation coefficients between -1"

Answered by AI

Are there any vacancies for individuals interested in participating in this clinical trial?

"Clinicaltrials.gov confirms that this particular medical trial, initially posted on December 1st 2022 and modified as recently as August 19th 2022, is no longer actively enrolling patients. However, there are 47 other trials offering participation opportunities at the present moment."

Answered by AI

Does the research comprise individuals aged fifty and over?

"The age criteria for this research requires that participants are over 18 years old and no more than a century in age."

Answered by AI

What are the eligibility criteria for inclusion in this investigation?

"30 subjects aged 18-100 that have hypermetria can participate in this trial. In addition to being within the designated age range, participants must be right handed, possess a minimum 8th grade education, and meet certain clinical requirements as diagnosed by a movement disorder specialist (cerebellar ataxia of unidentified source with or without genetic confirmation)."

Answered by AI

Who else is applying?

What state do they live in?
New Hampshire
Tennessee
What site did they apply to?
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
What portion of applicants met pre-screening criteria?
Met criteria
How many prior treatments have patients received?
0

Why did patients apply to this trial?

I have not received a definitive diagnosis, but I've had no testing since I visited Emory over 20 years ago. They thought I had Ataxia but didn't have all signs. As I've aged, my walking and fatigue have become worse. I've had no definitive answers since my first fall at 32 years old!
PatientReceived 1 prior treatment

How responsive is this trial?

Typically responds via
Email
Most responsive sites:
  1. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: < 48 hours
Average response time
  • < 2 Days
Recent research and studies
clinicaltrials.govStudy
Using Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback and Motor Imagery to Enhance Motor Timing and Precision in Cerebellar Ataxia
2023. "Using Real-time fMRI Neurofeedback and Motor Imagery to Enhance Motor Timing and Precision in Cerebellar Ataxia". ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05436262.
~10 spots leftby Apr 2025
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