Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Observational
Official Title: Pathogenesis and Diagnosis of Multiple System Atrophy (MSA): PET Study of Neurochemical and Autonomic Disorders in MSA
Brief Summary:
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a disorder of the nervous system of unclear cause. In MSA there is degeneration (progressive loss) of nerve cells in several brain and spinal cord regions. The result is a variety of symptoms, from physical (parkinsonism, ataxia, incoordination, falls, slowness) to autonomic (fainting, bladder incontinence, sexual dysfunction) to sleep problems (dream enactment, sleep apnea).
This research aims to help us better understand the patterns and timing of nerve degeneration relatively early in the disease, and how this affects symptoms and progression. For instance:
To answer these and other questions, investigators will take images of specific nerves in the brain and heart using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans. Such imaging gives us information that cannot be obtained from MRIs and CT scans. We will measure the levels of several nerve cell types: serotonin, acetylcholine, and norepinephrine. Subjects will also have many standardized assessments including quality-of-life and symptom assessments, neurological examination, autonomic assessments, neuropsychological ass