๐ฌIn plain words
What the trial is, and whether it could suit you
The goal of this observational study is to investigate whether the healthy human brain shows a diversity of optimistic and pessimistic reward signals and whether changes in this distribution in Parkinson's disease (PD) can provide mechanistic insights into the cause of symptoms.
The main hypotheses it aims to test are:
1. As shown in mice, a diversity of optimistic and pessimistic dopamine reward signals exists in the human ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the ventro-rostral basal ganglia circuit.
2. Pessimistic neurons are more severely affected by neurodegeneration in PD.
Researchers will compare the diversity of optimistic and pessimistic dopamine reward signals in patients with PD and healthy participants to see if there is a skewed distribution of optimistic and pessimistic reward signals in PD. Participants will play a task probing reward- and movement related brain activity in
Sign in to get the eligibility rules as simple questions to take to your doctor.
๐ Eligibility rules (as published)
PD PATIENTS:
Inclusion Criteria:
* At least 35 years of age.
* Clinically established or probable PD according to the Movement Disorder Society Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Parkinson's Disease
* Akinetic-rigid type PD
* Stable antiparkinsonian medicine for 4 weeks without major side effects such as dyskinesia or on-off periods.
* Signed informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
* Female participants of childbearing age must not be pregnant, and they must use contraception.
* Breastfeeding.
* History of other neurologic or psychiatric disease other than depression.
* Claustrophobia, pacemakers, implanted electronic devices, metal in the body, or other contraindications for MR scans.
* Patients receiving advanced PD treatment such as duodopa pump or apomorphine pen
* Regular intake of antipsychotics and GABAergic medications (such as pregabalin and gabapentine).
* Severe depression (MDI score \> 29).
* Refuse to be informed about new health-related findings that might appear through participation.
HEALTHY CONTROLS:
Inclusion criteria:
* At least 35 years of age.
* Signed informed consent.
Exclusion criteria:
* Female participants of childbearing age must not be pregnant, and they must use contraception.
* Breastfeeding.
* History of neurologic or psychiatric disease other than depression.
* Claustrophobia, pacemakers, implanted electronic devices, metal in the body, or other contraindications for MR scans.
* Regular intake of antipsychotics and GABAergic medications (such as pregabalin and gabapentine).
* Severe depression (MDI score \> 29).
* Refuse to be informed about new health-related information and accidental health-related findings that might appear through participation.
Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance (DRCMR), Hvidovre Hospital
Hvidovre, Denmark
๐ค Taking part is your choice, and you can leave at any time. Only the trial team can confirm you are eligible โ always decide together with your own doctor.