Home › Movement Disorders › NCT07056361
Stimulating Specific Brain Areas (VOP/VIM) With Electricity to Improve Movement and Muscle Control
VOP/VIM Direct Electrical Stimulation Increases Motor Cortex Excitability and Motor Output
Who can join
Ages 18 to 75 · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Essential tremor patients who are scheduled to undergo deep brain stimulation surgery at UPMC Presbyterian with asymmetric essential tremor symptoms will be included, with the tested limb corresponding to the least affected arm to better approximate normal function. These patients are implanted bilaterally regardless of symptom laterality, as the natural history of essential tremor indicates eventual bilateral symptoms. * Parkinson's Disease patients who are scheduled to undergo deep brain stimulation surgery at UPMC Presbyterian with a history of Parkinson's Disease will also be recruited for intra-operative stimulation of their STN-targeted implants, to assess if VIM/VOP has high specificity for improving motor output. Confirmation that subjects' terms of insurance coverage for their standard of care procedure will not be altered by study enrollment. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients will be excluded from the study if there is any seizure history, to avoid the increased epileptogenic risk of intraoperative stimulation. * Patients with significant bilateral tremor that precludes completion of motor tasks.
About the study
In this study the investigators aim to enroll patients scheduled to undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) implantation for movement disorders for intra-operative testing. In addition to standard-of-care surgical procedure to implant deep brain stimulation electrode leads, participants will also be stimulated and recorded from cortical areas by a temporary strip electrode (1X6) in the subdural space. The electrodes will be connected to external stimulators and a series of experiments will be performed to assess effects of the DBS on movement quality and electrophysiology measures. Results of this study will elucidate the biological mechanisms related to deep brain stimulation in modulating motor and speech function in patients with abnormal movement disorders.
What is being tested
- Direct cortical stimulation and deep brain stimulation of motor thalamus (device)
Sponsor: Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez · Participants: 60 · Started: Dec 16, 2022
Contact the study team
- Cierra Clark, MS · Phone: 240-441-4216
- Elvira Pirondini, PhD · Phone: 412-636-0595
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07056361
Locations in the U.S.
| Pennsylvania | University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.