Deep Brain Stimulation for Spinocerebellar Ataxia

NCT ID: NCT07288437

Last Updated: 2025-12-17

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

5 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-03-31

Study Completion Date

2031-03-31

Brief Summary

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The goal of this clinical trial is to test the safety of placing Deep Brain Stimulators (DBS) in the cerebellum and using electrical stimulation of that part of the brain to treat symptoms related to the participants spinocerebellar ataxia. Five adults diagnosed with spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6) with inadequate cerebellar symptom relief will be implanted with a Medtronic Percept Primary Cell Neurostimulator. The device will be implanted into the dentate nucleus, which is a structure located within the cerebellum that is responsible for controlling movement and balance.

Specifically, the investigators will be using adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS), which analyzes brain signals and automatically adjusts the strength, timing, and pattern of stimulation according to the patient's needs at any given moment. This study will evaluate the feasibility, safety, and tolerability of aDBS in SCA6 patients.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA) Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 6

Keywords

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adaptive deep brain stimulation aDBS Spinocerebellar Ataxia Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 6 SCA6 DBS deep brain stimulation

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Adaptive Deep Brain Stimulation (aDBS)

One month after patients undergo DBS surgery in the cerebellum, conventional deep brain stimulation (cDBS) programming will begin to identify stimulation parameters (such as amplitude, contact, frequency, and pulse width) and ensure no adverse wide effects are witness. This phase also allows the study team to make sure device and electrode placement are working as intended. About nine months after implantation, the investigators will switch system settings over to aDBS to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and tolerability in the dentate nucleus of the cerebellum. Symptoms and side effects will be assessed by patients' self-reports, validated clinical scales, and wearable devices, which will be used to track movements and sleep data.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

Intervention Type DEVICE

This device will be surgically implanted into the dentate nucleus of the cerebellum.

Interventions

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Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

This device will be surgically implanted into the dentate nucleus of the cerebellum.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Other Intervention Names

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Medtronic Percept

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. A diagnosis of SCA6 by a Movement Disorders specialist following established criteria recommended by the Movement Disorders Society.
2. A positive genetic test for SCA6.
3. A total scale ≥ 8 on the Scale of the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) rating scale.
4. Ability to walk with or without support (score \< 8 on the 'gait' subsection of the SARA rating scale).
5. Age ≥ 21 years and \< 89 years.
6. Ability to give informed consent for the study.
7. Be able to understand the study protocol.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Inability or unwillingness to comply with the study protocol.
2. History of previously implanted neurostimulators, pacemakers, defibrillators, or metallic head implants.
3. Severe cognitive impairment or dementia, defined as a score \< 21 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
4. Evidence of ataxia due to other etiologies, including but not limited to:

1. Genetic/inherited disorders other than SCA6.
2. Acquired causes: tramautic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, paraneplastic cerebellar degeneration, infections or post-infectious cerebellitis, autoimmune ataxias (e.g., anti-GAD, gluten ataxia).
3. Toxic/metabolic causes: alcoholic cerebellar degeneration, vitamin deficiencies.
4. Structural, vascular, or neoplastic causes: cerebellar stroke, tumors, congenital malformations.
5. Suspected multiple system atrophy-cerebellar type (MSA-C).
5. The presence of active and untreated psychiatric illness, severe depression (Beck Depression Inventory ≥ 21), or personality disorder at the discretion of the study team.
6. Coagulopathy, uncontrolled epilepsy, or other medical condition considered to place the patient at elevated risk for surgical complications. Presence of a concomitant medical condition that, in the investigator's opinion, may interfere with the study participation or gait/balance, for example, severe arthritis.
7. Presence of a concominant medical condition that, in the investigator's opinion, may interfere with the study participation or gait/balance, for example, severe arthritis.
8. Requirement of diathermy, electroconvulsive therapy, or transcranial magnetic stimulation.
9. Pregnancy or lactation.
10. Active suicidal ideation, defined as fined as a "Yes" response to questions #2-5 on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, C-SSRS.
11. Refractory Epilepsy.
Minimum Eligible Age

21 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

89 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Raynor Cerebellum Project

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of California, San Francisco

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Marta San Luciano Palenzuela, MD

Professor of Neurology

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Marta San Luciano Palenzuela, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of California, San Francisco

Locations

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University of California, San Francisco

San Francisco, California, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Marta San Luciano Palenzuela, MD, PhD

Role: CONTACT

Phone: (415) 353-2311

Email: [email protected]

Karson J Franjieh, BS

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 415-755-8954

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Marta San Luciano Palenzuela, MD, PhD

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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25-44582

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id