Focused ultrasound brain treatment for advanced Parkinson's disease, one or both sides

Trial details

Who runs it

InSightec

Trial code

NCT07764874

Record updated

6 November 2026

Original description

This study is a randomized clinical trial evaluating a focused ultrasound treatment for people with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) who have disabling motor complications and symptoms.Read full original descriptionShow less

An MR Guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) Randomized Trial Using the Exablate Neuro System to Assess the Effectiveness and Safety Outcomes of Unilateral and Staged Bilateral Ablation in the Subthalamic Region Involving the Pallidothalamic Tract (PTT) in Advanced Parkinson's Disease (PD) With Motor Complications.

This study is a randomized clinical trial evaluating a focused ultrasound treatment for people with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) who have disabling motor complications and symptoms.

The study uses the Exablate Neuro System, which delivers MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS). This technology focuses ultrasound energy on a specific brain target and generates heat to create a small lesion (ablation) without making a surgical incision.

The target in this study is the Pallidothalamic Tract (PTT), a pathway involved in the abnormal brain circuits that contribute to Parkinson's symptoms and complications.

This study is evaluating whether treating one side of the brain or treating both sides (in separate procedures) provides better outcomes for people with advanced Parkinson's disease who have motor complications and symptoms.

The main outcome measure is the change in the MDS-UPDRS Part III Upper/Lower Extremity (ULE) score at 3 months after first and second side treatment, compared with the respective control groups.

MDS-UPDRS Part III is a standard clinical scale used to assess Parkinson's motor symptoms. ULE score focuses on motor function in the arms and legs. Assessments are performed in the OFF-medication state, meaning Parkinson's medications are temporarily withheld so that the treatment effect can be measured more accurately.

In addition improvement in motor complications will be assessed with MDS-UPDRS Part IV and Patient diaries.

Inclusion: Men or women, age 30 years and older; Subject is able and willing to give informed consent and able to attend all study visits; Subject with a diagnosis of idiopathic PD by UK Brain Bank Criteria as confirmed by a movement disorder neurologist at the site; Subject is interested in receiving bilateral treatment if they qualify; Subject is Levodopa responsive as defined by at least a 30% reduction in MDS-UPDRS motor subscale in the ON vs OFF medication state; Subject has MDS-UPDRS Part III OFF ULE score of ≥ 15 on each side in the meds OFF condition; Subject experiencing motor complications of PD on optimum medical treatment characterized by dyskinesia (MDS-UPDRS item 4.2 score of ≥ 2) OR Motor fluctuations (MDS-UPDRS item 4.4 score of ≥ 2); Subject is on a stable dose of all PD medications for 30 days prior to screening visit PD assessments as determined by medical records; Subject is able to communicate sensations during the Exablate procedure; Subject's pallidothalamic region can be targeted by the Exablate device.

Exclusion: Subject where there is suspicion that Parkinsonian symptoms are a side effect from neuroleptic medications; Subject is receiving anticoagulant (e.g., warfarin) or antiplatelet (e.g., aspirin) therapy within one week of focused ultrasound procedure or drugs known to increase risk or hemorrhage (e.g., Avastin) within one month of focused ultrasound procedure; Subject who had prior deep brain stimulation of the basal ganglia or thalamus; Subject has other central neurodegenerative disease suspected on neurological examination. These include: multisystem atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal syndrome, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Alzheimer's disease; Subject with unstable psychiatric disease, uncontrolled depressive symptoms, psychosis, delusions, hallucinations, or suicidal ideation; Subject with unstable cardiac status or severe hypertension; Subject with history of abnormal bleeding, hemorrhage, or coagulopathy; Subject with cerebrovascular disease; Subject with advanced kidney disease or on dialysis; Subject with a history of seizures within the past year; Subject with life-threatening systemic disease (e.g. HIV, liver failure, blood dyscrasias, etc.); Subject with any illness that in the investigator's opinion precludes participation in this study; Subject who is in a nursing home in the last 30 days; Additional Exclusion Criteria for Staged Bilateral PTT procedure; Subject with severe premorbid risks as specified in the MDS-UPDRS Part II subsection motor aspects of experiences of daily living scores:; 3 or 4 on question 2.1 (speech) OR; 3 or 4 on question 2.3 (chewing and swallowing) OR; 4 on question 2.2 (saliva and drooling); Subject has an MMSE score < 24; Female subject who is pregnant; Female subject of childbearing potential not willing to use contraceptives throughout the duration of the study (~ 24 months); Subject exhibiting any behavior(s) consistent with ethanol or substance abuse; Subject with a brain tumor; Subject with standard contraindications for MR imaging such as implanted metallic devices; Subject who is unable to tolerate the required prolonged stationary supine position during treatment; Subject who has an Overall Skull Density Ratio of less than 0.40 as calculated from the screening CT (if this is the only exclusion, subject can participate in the study as part of the reference group); Subject who is participating in another clinical investigation with an active treatment arm; Subject who is unable to communicate with the investigator and staff; Clinically significant neurological event of dysphagia, abnormal speech function, or gait abnormalities that are moderate to severe following first procedure.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07764874