Examination of Quantitative Electroencephalographic (QEEG) Biomarkers in Huntington's Disease

NCT00670709 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: QEEG and HD
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 42
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The pace of basic science research defining the mechanisms of selective neuronal degeneration in Huntington disease (HD) has far exceeded the pace of translation of this information into clinically effective treatments for the disease. One reason for this bottleneck between bench and bedside is the paucity of available surrogate markers for HD. Identification of surrogate markers is critical for the design of future clinical trials. Such markers could provide a reliable signal of early brain dysfunction in HD and could be used as a biomarker in trials of agents that could prevent onset or delay progression of disease. Frontal-subcortical networks are known to be affected in HD and contribute to the cognitive dysfunction characteristic of the disease. Quantitative EEG (QEEG) can be used to assess the integrity of this circuitry; characteristic QEEG abnormalities long have been known to be present in the early stages of the illness (Bylsma et al., 1994). More recent research has suggested that a comprehensive topographic approach to QEEG analysis may reveal additional changes in brain activity (Bellotti et al., 2004) that may be indicative of subclinical disease (de Tommaso et al., 2003). This proposal aims to determine whether quantitative EEG techniques can be used to identify HD-specific abnormalities and thus serve as surrogate markers of disease. The goals of this pilot project are three-fold. First, we will determine if there are QEEG differences between normal control subjects and those with mild or moderate HD. Second, we will examine associations between severity of HD and the QEEG differences detected and determine if these QEEG differences are present when comparing the least affected HD subjects and normal controls. Third, we will examine associations between QEEG variables of interest and other clinical variables, including age of onset of symptoms, number of CAG repeats, severity of motor and behavioral symptoms as measured by the Unified Huntington Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) subscores, and severity of cognitive impairment as measured by the cognitive subscore of the UHDRS and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Conditions

Huntington's Disease

Keywords

encephalography; quantitative; biomarkers

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Quantitative Electroencephalography Absolute Delta Power.

  Absolute power in the delta frequency as measured by quantitative electroencephalography

  baseline- one time point

• Quantitative Electroencephalography Absolute Alpha Power.

  Absolute power in the alpha frequency as measured by quantitative electroencephalography

  baseline EEG

Study Arms (2)

1

Subjects with mild or moderate Huntington's Disease

2

Normal Controls

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 21 Years - 85 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

30 subjects with mild or moderate Huntington's Disease and 15 healthy normal controls

You may qualify if:

• Subjects affected by HD or those who are at risk for HD by virtue of having a first-degree relative with the illness, methamphetamine abuse or dependence, as well as normal controls, can participate.
• All subjects will be above the age of 21.
• Subjects will be recruited from clinical settings, and will also be self-referred.

You may not qualify if:

• Individuals with pacemakers, infusion pumps, or metallic shrapnel will be excluded from MRI assessments.
• Such implanted metals may be attracted by the MRI machine and put the individual at risk.
• Moreover, individuals with a history of brain surgery and/or skull fracture will also be excluded.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of California, Los Angeles: lead
• High Q Foundation: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

UCLA Laboratory of Brain, Behavior,a nd PHarmacology

Los Angeles, California, 90024, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Huntington Disease

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Basal Ganglia Diseases; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Dementia; Chorea; Dyskinesias; Movement Disorders; Heredodegenerative Disorders, Nervous System; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Genetic Diseases, Inborn; Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities; Cognition Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders; Mental Disorders

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Jennifer Villalobos
• Organization: UCLA

info@brain.ucla.edu

310-825-3351

Study Officials

• Andrew F Leuchter, MD

  University of California, Los Angeles

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE CONTROL
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Andrew F. Leuchter, M.D.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 30, 2008
• First Posted: May 2, 2008
• Study Start: September 1, 2006
• Primary Completion: February 1, 2008
• Study Completion: February 1, 2008
• Last Updated: November 9, 2023
• Results First Posted: August 16, 2010

Record last verified: 2023-11

Locations

US (1)