Deep Brain Stimulation of the Deep Cerebellar Nuclei in Subjects With Spinocerebellar Ataxia: A Safety and Feasibility Study
Gordon H. Baltuch
Summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN) in patients with Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA) types 1 and 3. Primary Objective: The incidence and nature of treatment-related adverse events across the entire study, including serious treatment-related adverse events such as intracerebral hemorrhage, infection, and serious or unanticipated adverse device effects (SADEs and UADEs). Secondary/Exploratory Objectives: * Evaluation of the effect of Dentate Nucleus (DN) - Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). Ataxia severity will be quantified using the Scale of Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA), Patient-Reported Outcome Measure of Ataxia (PROM-Ataxia), and kinematics. * To characterize electrophysiological activity across the cerebellothalamocorticomuscular (CTCM) network at rest and during motor behaviors. * To examine how DN-DBS modulates oscillatory activity and coupling across the CTCM circuit in relation to improvements in controlling ataxia.
Description
People with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) face progressively disabling symptoms such as poor balance, frequent falls, and a loss of muscle control. Currently, there are no approved treatments for these symptoms. Developing medications to treat SCA is incredibly difficult because the brain's movement center-the cerebellum-has complex, damaged wiring that varies between patients. However, all signals from this complex brain region flow through a single exit point called the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN). This makes the DCN (specifically, the dentate nucleus or DN) a perfect target for brain stimu…