How the brain signals reward and risk in Parkinson's disease
Official title: Neurophysiology of Reward Signaling in Parkinson's Disease
Run by Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NCT07409207 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will record brain signals during deep brain stimulation surgery to see how reward-seeking and risk-taking work in people with Parkinson's disease who are having electrodes placed.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 40 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 75 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Vanderbilt University Medical Center Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Nashville, Tennessee) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 1, 2024 |
| Main results expected | September 30, 2029 |
| Study ends | September 30, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | June 12, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07409207 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are English-speaking adults aged 40 or older with Parkinson's disease who are scheduled for DBS under local anesthesia at Vanderbilt with a planned electrode trajectory that contacts the caudate and who can complete intraoperative testing.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients under 40, those not undergoing DBS at Vanderbilt, those whose electrode path will not contact the caudate, or those unable to follow intraoperative instructions are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Researchers will make intraoperative neural recordings from corticostriatal regions, including trajectories that contact the caudate, while patients undergo DBS placement under local anesthesia. Participants will perform brief tasks during surgery so investigators can link neural activity to nonmotor behaviors such as reward seeking and risk taking. The work focuses on people with Parkinson's disease (or related movement disorders) who are English-speaking and able to follow intraoperative instructions. Data come from direct neural recordings and occasional neural stimulation used as part of the protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better-targeted DBS settings or new approaches to reduce problematic nonmotor symptoms like impulsivity and abnormal reward-seeking.
How similar studies have gone: Prior intraoperative recording studies have linked basal ganglia signals to motor symptoms and some studies have explored reward-related activity, but using caudate contact during DBS to study nonmotor reward signaling is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Scheduled to undergo deep brain stimulation surgery under local anesthesia at Vanderbilt University Medical Center * Planned clinical electrode trajectory that contacts caudate * Age greater than or equal to 40 * Diagnosis of Parkinson's disease or other movement disorder * Able to participate in intraoperative testing * English speaking Exclusion Criteria: * Age less than 40 * Not able to participate in intraoperative testing (for example unable to comprehend instructions or follow directions)
Where it's running
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Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Sarah Bick — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Lucas Chang, BA
- Email: lucas.m.chang@vumc.org
- Phone: 615-421-3046
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.