Brain and Nerves

The investigators will conduct a 8-week proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial to provide preliminary evidence of efficacy of Fit Brains (Rosetta Stone Canada) training—a mobile cognitive training program—on cognitive and brain plasticity in older adults. The investigators will also explore whether Fit Brains training paired with a brief bout of exercise would enhance the potential cognitive benefits of Fit Brains.

Recruitment Poster

AZD0530 is an inhibitor of Src and Abl family kinases1. It has been developed as treatment for malignancies because these kinases play a role in tumor invasion and proliferation. However, the Src family kinases (SFKs) are highly expressed in brain and have major effects on synaptic plasticity2. Moreover, the investigators have recently shown that a specific SFK, namely Fyn, is aberrantly activated by specific conformations of the Amyloid Beta (Aß) peptide from Alzheimer's disease (AD). Genetic deletion of Fyn rescues AD deficits in preclinical models.

This is a study in patients who recently had a brain attack (stroke) and in whom no clear cause of the stroke could be identified. These strokes are likely due to a blood clot and therefore, can be called embolic stroke of undetermined source. The abbreviation is ESUS. The study will compare 2 blood thinners. Patients will be randomly assigned to either Rivaroxaban 15 mg or Aspirin 100 mg and the study is intended to show, if patients given rivaroxaban have fewer blood clots in the brain (stroke) or in other blood vessels.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic (rTMS) is a safe, noninvasive treatment that involves placing a magnetic coil on a person’s head over an area of the brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). rTMS has been available as a treatment for depression in Canada since 2002, and although it has also been approved by Health Canada for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there are only a limited number of studies that have looked at this.

Primary aim: To determine the efficacy of two dosing regimens of TXA initiated in the prehospital setting in patients with moderate to severe TBI (GCS score ≤12).

Primary hypothesis: The null hypothesis is that prehospital administration either of two dosing regimens of TXA in patients with moderate to severe TBI will not increase the proportion of patients with a favorable long-term neurologic outcome compared to placebo, based on the GOS-E at 6 months.

This study is being done to learn more about normal thinking and behavior, mild thinking and behavior problems, Frontotemporal Dementia and other forms of dementia in families in which one or more relatives have a mutation associated with Frontotemporal Dementia.

The investigators will conduct a proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial study to provide preliminary evidence of efficacy of exercise training or a complex mental and social activities program for improving cognitive function in older adults with chronic stroke, compared with a stretch and relaxation program.

Recruitment Poster

This is a phase II, multicenter, randomized, parallel-group, partially blinded, placebo and Avonex (interferon beta-1a) controlled dose finding study to evaluate the efficacy as measured by brain MRI lesions, and safety of 2 dose regimens of ocrelizumab in patients with RRMS.

Primary Objective:

• To evaluate long-term safety of alemtuzumab.

Secondary Objectives:

• To evaluate long term efficacy of alemtuzumab. To evaluate the safety profile of patients who received other Disease Modifying Treatment's (DMT) following alemtuzumab treatment.
• To evaluate patient-reported Quality of Life (QoL) outcomes and health resource utilization of patients who received alemtuzumab.
• To evaluate as needed re-treatment with alemtuzumab and other DMTs.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disease that has effects on both movement and mental health. One of the most common mental health complications of PD is depression. Up to 30% of Parkinson's patients will experience depression at some point. We aim to investigate whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a type of electrical stimulation for the brain, can improve depression in PD as well as improve motor function in PD.

This study is a 26 week, randomized, parallel group, double blind comparison of PF-02545920 5 mg, PF-02545920 20 mg, and placebo dosed BID in the treatment of motor impairment of subjects with Huntington's Disease. A total of approximately 260 subjects are planned to be randomized in the study. Primary endpoint is the change from baseline in the Total Motor Score (TMS) assessment of the Unified Huntington Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) after 26 weeks of treatment.

Parkinson's disease results from the loss of dopamine producing brain cells; however, the mechanism that start and continue this loss are still largerly unknkown. Recent research has suggested a protein called tau may contribute to the development and progression of Parksinon's disease. Using Positron Emission Tomography (PET), a brain imaging technique, we hope to determine if and how much tau is present in healthy control subjects. This control data will then be used for comparison for data collected in patients with Parkinson's and related diseases.

The purpose of this 9-day study is to determine if:

• Pantoprazole modifies the steady-state plasma concentrations of orally administered psychotropic medications including valproic acid, lithium, and second-generation antipsychotics (i.e., aripiprazole, asenapine, clozapine, lurasidone, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine, risperidone, ziprasidone)
• Serum gastrin levels change within a week of starting or stopping pantoprazole

Patients with bipolar I disorder (BD) experience depression 3 times more frequently than mania, and antidepressants are prescribed as adjuncts to mood stabilizers in up to 70% of patients. However, no placebo-controlled trials have assessed the efficacy or safety of modern antidepressants in combination with mood stabilizers in the maintenance treatment of BD. The investigators propose a multicentre, randomized, double-blind clinical trial comparing mood stabilizer plus antidepressant (escitalopram or bupropion XL) to mood stabilizer plus placebo in the maintenance treatment of BD.

This study will determine whether in RRMS patients receiving Gilenya there is a link between disease progression and biologic markers.

This randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of ocrelizumab in comparison with Rebif (interferon beta-1a) in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis. Patients will be randomized to receive either in group A, ocrelizumab 600 mg intravenously (iv) every 24 weeks plus Rebif placebo subcutaneously (sc) three times weekly, or, in group B, Rebif 8.8 mcg (Weeks 1+2)/22 mcg (Weeks 3+4)/44 mcg (Week 5 and following) sc three times weekly plus ocrelizumab placebo iv every 24 weeks. Anticipated time on study treatment is 96 weeks.

The primary objective of the study is to assess the safety and tolerability of long-term treatment with BIIB019 (Daclizumab High Yield Process; DAC HYP) monotherapy in participants with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who completed Study 205MS301 (NCT01064401).

The secondary objectives of this study in this study population are as follows:

This study is a pilot to assess feasibility of the protocol in patients and controls across six participating sites. The goal is to identify biological markers (biomarkers)that can be measured at baseline or early in treatment to predict treatment outcome in individual patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Biomarkers of interest will be clinical (using interview and self-report measures), molecular (from blood samples) and neurobiological (using neuroimaging and EEG).

The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical, cognitive, motor, brain imaging, genetic and biochemical biomarker characteristics of Alzheimer disease (AD), subcortical vascular disease (SVaD) and mixed dementia (AD + sVaD).

This randomized, parallel group, double-blind, placebo controlled study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of ocrelizumab in participants with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. Eligible participants will be randomized 2 : 1 to receive either ocrelizumab or placebo. The blinded treatment period will be at least 120 weeks, followed by an Open Label Extension (OLE) treatment for participants in both groups who in the opinion of the investigator could benefit from further or newly initiated ocrelizumab treatment.