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Note: This study is currently only recruiting patients in the hospital.

If you are interested in being notified if this study begins recruiting from the general population, please use the 'I Am Interested' button below.

MRI study recruiting healthy subjects, patients with RBD and Parkinson's disease between 50-90 years

We are developing an atlas of a brain region (the brainstem) in humans using MRI. We are also studying how the brainstem changes in people who have REM Sleep Behavior Disorder and de novo Parkinson's disease compared to healthy volunteers.

10 hours over 2 sessions
Estimated Time Commitment
Male, Female, 50-90 years
May Be Eligible
Payment up to $350
May Be Offered
MRI scan
May Be Required
 
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This project is not recruiting.

What we are studying

The Brainstem Imaging lab at Massachusetts General Hospital is conducting a research study to build a brainstem atlas using MRI. In parallel we are studying the brainstem changes in REM sleep behavior disorder patients and Parkinson's disease patients.
 
The goal of this study is to characterize the brainstem anatomy in humans, and its changes in patients with REM sleep behavior disorder and de novo Parkinson’s disease.
 


Why it is important

If you participate, you will help us develop an atlas of a deep brain region, called the brainstem, which is crucial to evaluate sleep disorders, disorders of consciousness, motor disorders and vestibular disorders in living humans. 
 
By analyzing MRI images of REM sleep behavior disorder patients and de novo Parkinson’s disease patients, we hope to better understand the mechanisms implicated in early stages of alpha-synucleinopathies. This may be useful to track the progress of neurodegeneration in early disease stages.
 


What we hope to accomplish

This MRI study will allow us to develop an atlas of the brainstem in living humans. By using the atlas, we plan to explore the brainstem anatomy and physiology in health and in early stages of neurodegenerative diseases. Our hope is that this study will provide insight into brainstem mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases.

Principal Investigator

Marta Bianciardi, PhD

Massachusetts General Hospital

Public Profile

-Patients with clinical diagnosis of REM sleep behavioral disorder (RBD).
-Patients with clinical diagnosis of de novo Parkinson’s disease.  
Final decision about eligibility based on all inclusion/exclusion criteria will be made by the Principal Investigator - Dr. Bianciardi.


Healthy Volunteers

Healthy volunteers are eligible for this study

Healthy volunteers are eligible for this study.
Healthy volunteers must be 50 to 90 years old and not have any sleep or neurological condition. 


Not eligible: Subjects with MRI safety contraindications (metal objects in the body, current or past history of claustrophobia).


Final decision about eligibility based on all inclusion/exclusion criteria will be made by the Principal Investigator - Dr. Bianciardi.

Subjects with MRI safety contraindications (metal objects in the body, current or past history of claustrophobia).


Final decision about eligibility based on all inclusion/exclusion criteria will be made by the Principal Investigator - Dr. Bianciardi.

Participants will be asked to come in for one or two MRI scanning visits that last up to 10 hours. 
Steps of these visits include:
-Informed consent
-Sleep, autonomic, motor and cognitive questionnaries and assessments
-3 Tesla MRI scan
-7 Tesla MRI scan


Project activities may include:

  • MRI scan

Estimated Time Commitment

10 hours over 2 sessions


-35 $ per hour, that us up to $350.00 per MRI visit
-Information gathered from this study may improve our knowledge of the human brainstem anatomy
-People with sleep and neurological disorders may benefit in the future from the information learned in this study

Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129

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Travel

  • Accessible by public transportation
  • Parking available
  • Parking reimbursed
  • Out of state travel possibly reimbursed

Travel and Parking Details

-Parking is available on-site 
-Parking will be reimbursed
-Accessible by public transportation
-Travel to the Charlestown Navy Yard is available via Partners Healthcare shuttles, free-of-charge, from North Station or the main MGH campus


-If participating to this study is not compatible with taking public transportation (for example for safety reasons or lack of public transportation at certain hours), cab/rideshare costs will be reimbursed. If participating to this study requires substantial travel, travel expenses will be reimbursed.


Participating Institutions


Funding Source

  • NIH or Other Federal
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