Spinal Muscular Atrophy Trial, Recruiting

Written by an AI model from ClinicalTrials.gov eligibility criteria and checked on a sample basis. Please confirm against the original criteria.

Who might be able to join this trial:

If you have SBMA (Spinal Bulbar Muscular Atrophy):

• You are willing to follow all study procedures and are available for the full duration of the study
• You are male and over 18 years old
• Your SBMA diagnosis has been confirmed through genetic testing
• You are able to understand the study and are willing to sign a consent form
• You are able to travel to the NIH Clinical Center

If you are joining as a Healthy Control (comparison participant):

• You are willing to follow all study procedures and are able to travel to the NIH for the duration of the study
• You are male and over 18 years old
• You have no history of SBMA or any other neuromuscular (nerve or muscle) condition
• You have no history of facial palsy (weakness or drooping of the face)
• You are able to understand the study and are willing to sign a consent form
• You are able to travel to the NIH Clinical Center

Who may not be able to join:

SBMA participants may not be eligible if:

• You cannot have an MRI scan — for example, if you have a pacemaker, defibrillator, insulin pump, metal clips, non-removable metal jewellery, or if you experience severe claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces)
• You are unable to walk
• You have used hormone-reducing medications (androgens) in the past two years

SBMA participants may not be able to take part in the spinal fluid (lumbar puncture) procedure if:

• Your blood clotting test results are outside of the normal range by a certain amount (confirm with trial site)
• You have a low platelet count, abnormal bleeding time, or certain abnormal blood test results (confirm with trial site)
• You have a history of a bleeding disorder
• You are taking blood-thinning medications

SBMA participants may not be able to take part in the muscle biopsy (small muscle sample) procedure if:

• The muscle in your lower leg that would be sampled has wasted away too much to safely take a sample
• You have taken aspirin or anti-inflammatory painkillers (such as ibuprofen) in the 3 days before the procedure

SBMA participants may not be able to take part in the whole-body MRI if:

• You have previously been treated with hormone-reducing medications, including certain types of injections or tablets used to lower androgen (male hormone) levels
• You are unable to complete strength and walking tests as part of the study
• You are planning to make significant changes to your diet or exercise routine during the study period

Healthy Control participants may not be eligible if:

• Your blood clotting test results are outside of the normal range by a certain amount (confirm with trial site)
• You have a low platelet count, abnormal bleeding time, or certain abnormal blood test results (confirm with trial site)
• You have a history of a bleeding disorder
• You are taking blood-thinning medications

Important: Always verify eligibility with the trial site directly before applying.