Clinical Trial: Brain Activity in People With Functional Movement Disorders

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Observational

Official Title: BOLD-fMRI of the Perception of Volition in Functional Movement Disorders

Brief Summary:

This study will use functional MRI (fMRI, a technique that shows what areas of the brain are active when performing different mental tasks), to examine how the brain in people with functional movement disorders (FMD) may differ from that in people without FMDs. People with FMD have movement symptoms they feel they cannot control and that are not due to a known medical disorder. Previous studies looking at the brain activity of FMD patients have found areas in the frontal lobe of the brain that appeared overactive. These overactive areas may make it difficult to perform complex mental tasks. Studying the brain during performance of these tasks may enhance knowledge about FMD.

Patients 18 years of age or older with an FMD and healthy normal volunteers may be eligible for this study. Participants have two visits to the NIH Clinical Center for the following procedures:

First visit (screening):

• Medical history and neurological examination.
• Urine drug screen for illicit drugs.
• Psychological testing, including an interview and questionnaires.

Second visit:

• Brain MRI (if one has not been done at NIH within the past 12 months): MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images of body tissues and organs. The subject lies on a table that can slide in and out of the scanner (a narrow cylinder), wearing earplugs to muffle loud noises that occur during the scanning process. The procedure lasts about 2 hours, during which time the patient is asked to lie still for up to 30 minutes at a time.
• Brain fMRI: Whi
  

  Detailed Summary:

  OBJECTIVE

  The purpose of this study is to utilize functional MRI (fMRI) to identify structural brain regions and activation patterns involved in deception in order to determine whether illness deception can be differentiated from involuntary conversion disorders. We intend to compare the brain activations of functional movement disorder (FMD) patients against those of healthy volunteers in order to determine whether various aspects of the disorder are under volitional control, suggesting a component of illness deception, or are involuntary as hypothesized in conversion disorders.

  STUDY POPULATION

  We intend to use up to 35 right-hand dominant adult healthy volunteers (the first five subjects will be used to develop this method) and 30 functional movement disorder patients.

  DESIGN

  Using a slow event-related design, we will scan subjects using a 3T fMRI scanner while they are visually presented with survey-based stimuli which require a yes/no response using a key press. Information used to create the stimuli will be pseudo-randomly derived from one of two databases. The first database will be created from the information garnered in the survey subjects will complete during their screening visit (i.e. subjects eye color or height). The second database will be a collection of non-specific information (i.e. current year, season, etc.) that intentionally does not apply to the subjects. For each question displayed, subjects will receive a visual instruction to respond either truthfully or deceptively. Correct answers to responses will be evaluated based upon the survey the subjects completed. In addition to the BOLD data collected, we plan to calculate reaction times and acquire auto
  Sponsor: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
  

  Current Primary Outcome:
  
  

  Original Primary Outcome:
  
  

  Current Secondary Outcome:
  
  

  Original Secondary Outcome:
  
  Information By: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
  

  Dates:
  Date Received: March 14, 2007
  Date Started: March 8, 2007
  Date Completion: August 5, 2008
  Last Updated: January 24, 2017
  Last Verified: August 5, 2008