Skin, speech, and brain scans may unmask hidden neurodegeneration
NCT ID NCT06467461
First seen Aug 10, 2026 · Last updated Aug 11, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study investigates whether a combination of skin biopsies, speech analysis, and ultra-high field 7T MRI can detect early signs of Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. It focuses on people with a specific type of REM sleep behavior disorder triggered by serotonergic antidepressants, which may be an early warning sign. The research will compare these individuals to matched controls over 30 months to see if these tests can identify underlying neurodegeneration.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Skin biopsy, speech testing, and ultra-high field 7T MRI as diagnostic tools
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to earlier detection of Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia, potentially enabling earlier intervention and better management.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage diagnostic study with a small sample size. The tests may not reliably distinguish those who will develop neurodegeneration from those who won't, and results may not generalize to broader populations.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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66 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Feb 2024
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 75 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Serotonergic REM sleep behavior (5-HT RBD) participants Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of polysomnogram-confirmed RBD with history of dream enactment or clear dream enactment visualized on video from polysomnogram. * History of dream enactment began shortly after (less than 2 months) starting a serotonergic antidepressant medication. Control Participants Inclusion Criteria: * Age (±3 years) and sex matched to participants with 5-HT RBD * On serotonergic medication for at least 6 months without history of dream enactment. The following serotonergic medications will be included: Citalopram, Escitalopram, Fluoxetine, Fluvoxamine, Paroxetine, and Sertraline Exclusion Criteria: Serotonergic REM sleep behavior (5-HT RBD) participants Exclusion Criteria: * Younger than 18 * Older than 75 * Meet criteria for Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, Multiple System Atrophy, Pure Autonomic Failure, Alzheimer's disease, other diagnosed neurodegenerative disorder, or other known cause of RBD (e.g. narcolepsy) * Untreated obstructive sleep apnea, obesity hypoventilation, central sleep apnea or other sleep disordered breathing * History of dysarthria, aphasia or other condition which could interfere with speech assessment * Reduced capacity to consent * MRI exclusion criteria for 7T scans: presence of any metallic clip(s) or implantable medical devices (e.g., heart valve, aneurysm clip, coils or surgery, renal or aortic clips, shunts, stents or stent grafts, metal mesh/coil implants, neurostimulator, insulin pump, IVC filter, etc.). * History of allergic response to xylocaine or other local anesthesia * Pregnant women will be excluded due to unknown risk of MRI on developing fetus Control Participants Exclusion Criteria: same exclusion criteria as 5-HT RBD group, plus the following: * History of dream enactment that may suggest RBD * Increased REM motor tone (REM atonia index \> 0.10) on PSG suggestive of RBD
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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