Brain Mechanisms of Social Perception in Parkinson's Disease

Launched by HOSPICES CIVILS DE LYON · Mar 18, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring how Parkinson's disease affects the way people understand social cues, like facial expressions and body movements. Researchers believe that these social perception difficulties can impact the quality of life for individuals with Parkinson's, even in the early stages of the disease. The study aims to use advanced imaging techniques, such as functional MRI, to observe brain activity related to social perception and determine how certain medications might influence this process.

To participate in the trial, you need to be between 30 and 75 years old and have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease for at least three years while receiving treatment with specific medications. Participants will undergo two stages: the first will involve testing the experimental tasks, and the second will focus on assessing brain activity during these tasks. It's important to note that participants need to meet certain health criteria, and those with specific conditions that might complicate MRI scans cannot join. If you're interested or think you might qualify, this study could provide valuable insights into how Parkinson's disease affects social interactions.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Male or female between 30 and 75 years of age
• • Freely-given informed consent to participate to this study (written form)
• • Affiliated with a social security system or equivalent;
• • Person diagnosed with Parkinson's disease according to MDS-UPDRS criteria for at least 3 years and receiving dopaminergic treatment (e.g. : LEVODOPA, CARBIDOPA, BENZERASIDE, ENTACAPONE, MODOPAR, SINEMET, STALEVO, PRAMIPEXOLE, SIFROL, ROPINIROLE, REQUIP ; ROTIGOTINE, NEUPRO, PIRIBEDIL, TRIVASTAL, RASAGILINE, AZILECT, CONTAM, AMANTADINE, MANTADIX, APOMORPHINE, APOKINON, DOPACEPTIN, FOSLEVODOPA, FOSCARBIDOPA, SCYOVA) (for patients only)
• • Effective contraception for women of childbearing age or post-menopausal women (only for patients and healthy volunteers in stage 2 "imaging")
• • Requiring dopa testing as part of routine care (only for patients in stage 2 "imaging")
• • No disabling cognitive impairment (MOCA score ≥ 26)
• • No diagnosis of chronic disease associated with disability (only for healthy volunteers)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• * Contraindication to MRI (only for patients and healthy volunteers in step 2 "imaging"):
• • Wearing a pacemaker not approved for 3 Tesla MRI
• • Presence of intracerebral ferromagnetic or magnetizable material
• • Presence of intraocular ferromagnetic or magnetizable foreign bodies
• • Presence of non-removable ferro-magnetic or magnetizable foreign bodies in the cephalic region
• • Claustrophobia
• • History of head trauma with loss of consciousness lasting more than 30 min (only for patients and healthy volunteers in step 2 "imaging")
• • Participant not agreeing to be informed in the event of incidental discovery of an abnormality on MRI (only for patients and healthy volunteers in stage 2 "imaging")
• • Tremor or disabling dyskinesias preventing MRI (only for patients in stage 2)
• • Having exceeded the annual amount of compensation allowed for participation in research protocols (only for healthy volunteers)
• • Pregnant, parturient or breast-feeding women
• • Persons deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision
• • Persons under psychiatric care
• • Persons admitted to a health or social institution for purposes other than research
• • Adults under legal protection (guardianship, curatorship)
• • Participants in other intervention research involving a period of exclusion still in progress at the time of pre-inclusion.