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Clinical trial Recruiting at 3 sites Interventional Ages 45 to 80

PET-MRI to study the reward system in Parkinson's disease with RBD

Official title: Exploration of the Reward System in Parkinson's Patients With Paradoxical Sleep Behavior Disorders: a Multimodal Imaging Study

Run by University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand · NCT07213219 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study uses PET‑MRI to see how dopamine-related reward pathways behave in people with Parkinson’s who also have REM sleep behavior disorder.

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Quick facts

Study typeInterventional
Ages45 Years to 80 Years
SexAll
Enrollment44 (estimated)
SponsorUniversity Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand
Academic / other
Locations3 sites (Clermont-Ferrand and 2 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedMay 7, 2026
Main results expectedJanuary 1, 2028
Study endsJanuary 1, 2029
Registry record updatedJuly 8, 2026
Trial IDNCT07213219 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Adults aged 45–80 with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, on dopaminergic therapy for at least one year, and with disease duration of three years or more.

Probably not a fit

Patients with other neurological disorders, marked depression or cognitive impairment, or inability to comply with the protocol may not benefit from this imaging study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This interventional study uses a combined PET and MRI approach to image dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability in the brain's reward system of Parkinson’s patients, focusing on those with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. Participants are adults with idiopathic PD on chronic dopaminergic therapy for at least one year and with disease duration of three years or more. The imaging aims to illuminate the mesocorticolimbic pathway’s role in reward processing and impulsivity, potentially linked to impulse control disorders. The trial is conducted at multiple sites in Clermont-Ferrand and Lyon, with strict inclusion and exclusion criteria to minimize confounding factors. No pharmacologic intervention beyond routine imaging and assessment is specified in the description provided.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the study could improve understanding of how reward brain circuits relate to impulse control issues in PD, guiding future personalized approaches.

How similar studies have gone: Prior PET studies have shown abnormal reward-system signaling in PD patients with impulse control issues, supporting the plausibility of this approach.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria 
Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients aged 45 to 80 years
* Patients diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) according to the Movement Disorder Society criteria
* Duration of Parkinson's disease progression ≥ 3 years
* Patients receiving chronic dopaminergic treatment including levodopa for at least one year to avoid tolerance issues during acute levodopa administration
* Ability to cooperate and understand, allowing strict compliance with the conditions set forth in the protocol
* Patients affiliated with or beneficiaries of a social security system
* Volunteer patients capable of providing informed consent to participate in the research

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients suffering from neurological disorders other than idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD)
* Patients with severe depression (Beck Depression Inventory \\\[20\] (BDI) score \> 30), apathy (Starkstein scale \\\[21\] score ≥ 14), cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment \\\[MoCA\] \\\[22\] score \< 25).
* Patients with impulse control disorders, defined by either of the following:

  * A score of ≥ 6 on the "Pathological Gambling" item, ≥ 8 on the "Compulsive Buying" item, ≥ 8 on the "Sexual Behavior" item, or ≥ 7 on the "Eating Behavior" item, and more than one positive response (score \> 0) on the corresponding QUIP-RS items for Gambling, Compulsive Buying, Sexual Behavior, and Eating Behavior.
  * A total QUIP-RS score ≥ 10.
* Patients with severe motor symptoms: patients with an MDS-UPDRS III score \> 45 will be excluded to avoid severe discomfort or interfering tremor (tremor item ≥ 3 in any body part) in the OFF state during PET-MRI acquisition. Patients with severe dyskinesias will also be excluded due to technical issues related to movement
* Patients under guardianship, curatorship, deprived of liberty, or under legal protection
* Pregnant or breastfeeding women
* Patients with contraindications to PET-MRI (e.g., those with pacemakers or insulin pumps, metallic prostheses or intracerebral clips, claustrophobia, neurosensorial stimulators or implantable defibrillators, cochlear implants, ferromagnetic ocular or cerebral foreign bodies near nervous structures, uncooperative or agitated patients, neurosurgical ventriculoperitoneal shunts, dental appliances)
* Refusal to participate

Where it's running

  • CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand,
    Clermont-Ferrand, France     Recruiting
  • CH Le Puy en Velay
    Le Puy-en-Velay, France     Recruiting
  • CHRU Lyon
    Lyon, France     Recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
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Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.