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Parkinson's DiseaseNCT02632279

Tryptophan Depletion in PD Patients Treated With STN DBS

A study testing Tryptophan (TRP) depletion, Stimulator ON and Stimulator OFF in people with Parkinson's Disease, run by Maastricht University Medical Center at 1 site in Netherlands.

Terminated

Stopped early. The study ended before it was planned to and will not resume.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of tryptophan depletion on mood and behavior in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Any age
Conditions the study is for
Parkinson's Disease
What is being tested?
Tryptophan (TRP) depletion, Stimulator ON and Stimulator OFF
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
7 participants
Where
1 siteNetherlands
Study dates
Nov 2015to 15 Nov 2017
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages Any age
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • subjects must be mentally competent
  • subjects must have undergone STN DBS surgery for PD symptomatology

Who cannot join

  • head injury
  • stroke
  • currentl malignancy or infection
  • neurological disorders other than PD
  • psychoactive medication: specifically antidepressants and antipsychotics ( a stable dose of benzodiazepines will be allowed)
  • clinically relevant cognitive decline, operationalized as a MMSE score < 24
  • current psychiatric syptomatology, operationalized as a Hamilton Depression scale score > 16 or a score >2 on one of the MDS-UPDRS section I, items 1-6

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Netherlands1 site
  • Maastricht University Medical Center

    Maastricht, Limburg

Other trials in Netherlands

About this study

Official title: Tryptophan Depletion in Parkinson's Disease Patients Treated With Deep Brain Stimulation of the Subthalamic Nucleus: Effects on Mood and Motor Functions

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of tryptophan depletion on mood and behavior in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN). By doing this, the investigators hope to be able to identify risk factors for and mechanisms underlying psychiatric side effects of STN DBS. The study will be an intervention study with a placebo controlled, randomized cross-over design.

Read the detailed description

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor symptoms such as tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement. In later stages of the disease, when pharmacological treatment becomes less efficient, deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) becomes a treatment option. Although motor symptoms improve significantly by DBS, a number of operated patients experience severe side effects, mostly related to mood, cognition or behavior. These adverse effects are most likely mediated through the serotonin (5-HT) system. Additionally, a dysfunction of the 5-HT system is implied in the pathophysiology of PD. PD patients are therefore regarded as 'vulnerable' to experiencing mood, cognitive and emotional problems due to changes in 5-HT activity.

To elucidate whether STN DBS is indeed the trigger for psychiatric and cognitive problems to arise in the PD patient, the 5-HT levels in PD patients implanted with STN DBS will be manipulated. In order to do this, the investigators will make use of the tryptophan (TRP) depletion method, an established research paradigm. In TRP depletion, the brain is depleted of TRP, the precursor of 5-HT, which consequently leads to lowered 5-HT levels. In both the normal and 5-HT depleted condition, mood- and cognitive parameters of the PD patients both with the STN stimulation on (ON) and off (OFF) will be assessed.

The goal is to get more insight into the effects of STN DBS in PD patients with a 5-HT vulnerabililty and the effects on 5-HT related mood and cognitive behaviour. This way, possible risk factors for and mechanisms underlying psychiatric side effects of STN DBS can be identified. The study is an intervention study with a placebo controlled, randomized cross-over design.

Being tested
Tryptophan (TRP) depletion, Placebo, Stimulator ON, Stimulator OFF
Keywords
Parkinson's disease, Deep Brain Stimulation, Subthalamic nucleus, Tryptophan depletion, Serotonin
Medical subject headings
Parkinson Disease

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Tryptophan (TRP) depletionDietary supplement

    Also called TRP depleted

    TRP depletion will be accomplished by administering a TRP-low amino acid protein drink containing 100 g of gelatin powder. The protein mixture consists of 18 amino acids. According to Dutch law, TRP is considered a food supplement and is not registered as a medicine.

  • PlaceboDietary supplement

    The placebo treatment will consist of an identical amino acid protein drink containing 100 g of gelatin powder to which 1.21g TRP is added.

  • Stimulator ONDevice

    Participants will be tested while their stimulator is turned ON

  • Stimulator OFFDevice

    Participans will be tested while their stimulator is turned OFF

Study groups in NCT02632279
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
TRP depletedExperimentalTRP depleted protein drink
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Tryptophan (TRP) depletion; Device: Stimulator ON; Device: Stimulator OFF
PlaceboPlacebo comparatorBalanced protein drink (+1.21g of TRP)
Receives: Dietary Supplement: Placebo; Device: Stimulator ON; Device: Stimulator OFF

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Mood

    as assessed through the Profile of Mood States

    Measured: There will be 6 measurements spread over 2 testing days with a wash-out period of min. 1 weak. baseline measure, 3.5 hours after intake of the amino acid mixture, and 5.5 hours after intake of the amino acid mixture

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Motor scores

    as assessed through the MDS-UPDRS

    Measured: There will be 6 measurements spread over 2 testing days with a wash-out period of min. 1 weak. baseline measure, 3.5 hours after intake of the amino-acid mixture, and 5.5 hours after intake of the amino-acid mixture

  2. Impulsivity

    as assessed through a reaction time task

    Measured: There will be 6 measurements spread over 2 testing days with a wash-out period of min. 1 weak. baseline measure, 3.5 hours after intake of the amino-acid mixture, and 5.5 hours after intake of the amino-acid mixture

  3. Emotional Responsiveness

    as assessed through the emotional responsiveness task

    Measured: There will be 4 measurements spread over 2 testing days with a wash-out period of min. 1 weak. baseline measure, 3.5 hours after intake of the amino-acid mixture

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted16 Dec 2015 (estimated)
  2. Study startNov 2015
  3. Primary completionNov 2017
  4. Study completion15 Nov 2017

Why it stopped: * Insufficient rates of participant accrual * Effects in opposite direction of hypothesis * Study was not feasible

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
7 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02632279
Sponsor's protocol ID
Tryptophan depletion in PD
Status last verified
Aug 2018
First submitted
26 Nov 2015
Last updated
22 Aug 2018
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Tryptophan (TRP) depletion, Stimulator ON and Stimulator OFF in people with Parkinson's Disease, run by Maastricht University Medical Center at 1 site in Netherlands.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Aug 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Netherlands. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study was stopped early (reason given: * Insufficient rates of participant accrual * Effects in opposite direction of hypothesis * Study was not feasible). Results are not available in the source record.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Mood (time frame: There will be 6 measurements spread over 2 testing days with a wash-out period of min. 1 weak. baseline measure, 3.5 hours after intake of the amino acid mixture, and 5.5 hours after intake of the amino acid mixture). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 Aug 2018.

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