Clinical Trial: Nervous System Degeneration in Glycosphingolipid Storage Disorders

Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Observational



Official Title: Investigation of Neurodegeneration in the Glycosphingolipid Storage Disorders

Brief Summary:

This study will evaluate children with glycosphingolipid (GSL) storage disorders to investigate brain changes that cause nervous system degeneration. No experimental treatments are offered in this study; participants will receive standard medical care for their disease. The information from this study may help researchers develop new therapies for these disorders and monitor the effects of treatment.

Patients of any age with Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff disease, GM1 gangliosidosis, or type 2 Gaucher disease may be eligible for this study.

Participants will be admitted to the NIH Clinical Center for 4 to 5 days every 6 months for a clinical evaluation involving the following tests and procedures:

  • Medical history
  • Physical, neurologic, and eye examinations
  • Developmental evaluations by a physical therapist, nutritionist and psychologist
  • Blood tests to check nutritional status, liver and kidney function, and, in patients treated for seizures, level of anti-seizure drugs. Some blood will also be used for research purposes.
  • Urinalysis to check urine sugar levels and kidney function
  • Skin biopsy to obtain cells to grow in culture. The biopsy area is numbed with an anesthetic cream and a 1/8-inch piece of skin is removed with a circular punch and scissors.
  • Genetic analysis of DNA to screen for mutations responsible for the patient s GSL storage disorder
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans. Children with type 2 Gaucher disease, Sandhoff disease and GM1 gangliosidosis will also have liver and spleen scans.