Brain activity linked to motor and psychiatric ups and downs in Parkinson's
Subthalamic and Cortical Electrophysiological Correlates of Motor and Neuropsychiatric Fluctuations in Parkinson's Disease
The study will see if EEG and recordings from patients' subthalamic deep brain stimulator can reveal brain signals tied to motor and psychiatric fluctuations in people with Parkinson's who are on dopaminergic therapy and recently had STN‑DBS.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 30 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 80 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University Hospital, Geneva Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Geneva) |
| Trial ID | NCT07404241 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This Swiss prospective observational study will record resting-state high-density EEG together with subthalamic nucleus (STN) local field potentials (LFPs) in about 30 Parkinson's patients with recently implanted STN‑DBS systems during a modified levodopa challenge. Recordings use chronic-capable DBS hardware to capture cortical-subcortical oscillatory activity across beta, alpha, and gamma bands 4–8 weeks post-implant. The protocol compares electrophysiological signatures across motor and neuropsychiatric fluctuation states to identify frequency-specific correlates. Results will map cortical‑STN interactions associated with acute dopaminergic changes and symptomatic ups and downs.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Parkinson's patients who experience motor and/or neuropsychiatric fluctuations, are on dopaminergic therapy, were implanted with STN‑DBS 4–8 weeks earlier, are younger than 80, cognitively intact (MOCA > 24), able to consent, and willing to attend in-person recordings.
Not a fit: Patients without STN‑DBS, with dementia or severe uncontrolled medical or psychiatric conditions, those older than 80, or those whose OFF state is too severe to tolerate testing are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify objective brain biomarkers that help personalize DBS programming or medication timing to reduce disabling neuropsychiatric and motor fluctuations.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has repeatedly linked STN beta activity to motor fluctuations and some EEG studies have suggested cortical gamma/alpha relate to neuropsychiatric features, but combined STN‑LFP and EEG characterization of neuropsychiatric fluctuations remains largely novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) based on United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank Criteria. * Patients candidate for STN-DBS in the PD phase called fluctuations stage. * Presence of fluctuations (motor and/or non-motor) are based on the pre-surgical DBS assessment: * To be on dopaminergic therapy. * Patients who have undergone STN-DBS implantation within 4 to 8 weeks before electrophysiological acquisition. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with an age greater than 80 years, * Dementia (defined by a MOCA score ≤24), * Active psychosis or depression with suicidal ideation, * Any clinically meaningful non-stable physical diseases, * Patients with OFF-drug state so severe that it prevents study tests from being carried out (e.g acute painful dystonia, intolerable non-motor symptoms such as pain, anxiety), * Participating in a pharmacological study, * Inability to provide informed consent (legal guardianship).
Where this trial is running
Geneva
- Geneva University Hospital — Geneva, Switzerland (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Damien BENIS, PhD
- Email: damien.benis@hug.ch
- Phone: +41223722311
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.