SIU Med School Part of National Parkinson's Disease Study

Individuals with dementia and signs of Parkinson's disease are being recruited by Southern Illinois University School of Medicine as part of a national study of the drug quetiapine (Seroquel). This drug may be helpful to treat the psychosis and agitation that patients with these conditions sometimes experience. It is being evaluated for use by SIU's neurology and psychiatry departments as part of a 20-site study.

"Patients with Parkinson's disease may be very sensitive to medications that treat agitation, hallucinations and psychosis and the usual medications used for these problems often worsen our ability to manage the disease," said Dr. Tom Ala, associate professor of neurology at SIU who is medical director for the trial. "This study will assess one of the new neuroleptic medications, which in preliminary studies has been beneficial and relatively well-tolerated." The study director is Sandra Vicari, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry.

Volunteers 50 years and older are being sought. Participants should be generally healthy but should have Parkinson's disease and be experiencing agitation, psychosis or hallucinations; have Alzheimer disease with some signs of Parkinson's disease, or have been diagnosed with the condition "dementia with Lewy bodies." Each participant will receive a physical examination and other tests before beginning and during four visits over three months. There is no charge to the participants for the tests and medications related to the study, which is sponsored by the Alzheimer Disease Cooperative Study. Results will be shared with the participant's personal physician.

If you are interested in participating in the study, contact Sue Urish, Department of Psychiatry, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, by calling 217-545-7626 weekdays or emailing surish@siumed.edu. Details also are posted online at http://www.siumed.edu/physurg/studies/.

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