Brain Matters

At the present time, there are these studies underway on PSP:

Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors
This NIH-funded study was organized in 2006 by Irene Litvan, MD, of the University of Louisville in Kentucky.  The goal is to enroll 500 PSP patients.  Three years into it, they've enrolled over 150 patients.

As of the summer 2009, there will be 13 participating sites in the US and one site in Canada.  Participating sites include:  (principal investigator is in parentheses, if their institution has approved enrollment)

1.   University of Toronto (Canada)
2.   Cornell University (Ithaca, NY; Dr. Claire Henchcliffe)
3.   Case Western Reserve (Cleveland, OH; Dr. David Riley)
4.   University of Maryland (Baltimore, MD; Dr. Stephen Reich)
5.   University of Louisville (Louisville, KY; Dr. Irene Litvan)
6.   Emory School of Medicine (Atlanta, GA; Dr. Jorge Juncos)
7.   University of Alabama at Birmingham (Birmingham, AL; Dr. David Standaert)
8.   University of South Florida (Tampa, FL)
9.   Rush University Medical Center (Chicago, IL)
10. Kansas University Medical Center (Kansas City, KS)
11. Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX; Dr. Joseph Jankovic)
12. University of Colorado (Aurora, CO; Dr, Debra Hall)
13. University of Washington (Seattle, WA; Dr. James Leverenz)
14. UCLA (Los Angeles, CA; Dr. Yvette Bordelon)

For more information, contact the program office at the University of Louisville at:

• phone 866/PSP-0448
• email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• website www.pspstudy.com

upcoming UCSF study

other CurePSP-funded studies

These studies have recently ended:

Lithium Trial
This NIH-funded study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of lithium.  It began in the fall 2008.  According to clinicaltrials.gov, the trial is no longer recruiting participants and the trial will end September 2009.

Eight sites in the US participated: (principal investigator is in parentheses)

1. University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey; New Brunswick, NJ (Dr. Lawrence Golbe)
2. Medical University of South Carolina; Charleston, SC (Dr. Vanessa Hinson)
3. Oregon Health & Science University; Portland, OR (Dr. Penelope Hogarth)
4. University of Louisville; Louisville, KY (Dr. Irene Litvan)
5. University of Maryland; Baltimore, MD (Dr. Stephen Reich)
6. Beth Israel Medical Center; New York, NY (Dr. William Lawrence Severt)
7. Rush University Medical University; Chicago, IL (Dr. Kathleen Shannon)
8. Northwestern University; Chicago, IL (Dr. Tanya Simuni)

Two UK sites participated -- Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, and Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales.

Lithium carbonate manufactured by Ohio-based Roxane Laboratories (roxane.com) was used for this trial. Dosing information was determined on an individual basis. According to clinicaltrials.gov, lithium carbonate was titrated over a five-week period with the goal of achieving a serum concentration of at least 0.4 mEq/L, and patients were to be on the drug for six months.

Based on anecdotal evidence only, lithium was not well tolerated in PSP patients.

For more information visit http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00703677