Gastrointestinal Dopamine Decarboxylase and Levodopa Pharmacokinetics (NCT07793461)
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
The main treatment for Parkinson's disease is a medication called levodopa. Levodopa has to be absorbed from the gut and travel to the brain to work, but a naturally occurring enzyme in the lining of the stomach, called dopamine decarboxylase (AADC), can break some of it down before it ever reaches the brain. We do not yet know whether people whose stomachs have more of this enzyme absorb less of their levodopa dose, have worsened gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms associated with levodopa intake, and whether that affects how well the medication controls their movement symptoms. This research may help doctors understand why levodopa works better in some people with Parkinson's disease than others, which could help improve treatment in future.
Who can join: To join this study, participants generally need to meet the listed inclusion criteria (3 items) and avoid the listed exclusions (2 items).
Location: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center — Boston, Massachusetts
🧪 Interventions in This Study
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistCheck every box below. If you can check all of them, you may meet the study's basic screening requirements (final eligibility is confirmed by the site team).
Usually NOT eligible if any of the following apply:
- Exclusion Criteria:
- No history of Parkinson's disease
🔍 Extracted verbatim from the official NIH eligibility criteria. Always confirm with the study coordinator.
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center — Boston, Massachusetts
📞 Contact the Study Coordinator
Phone: (617) 754-8888
Email: tpasrich@bidmc.harvard.edu
Coordinator details come directly from the registered NIH protocol. Confirm the study is still recruiting before traveling.
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.
More studies in Parkinson's Disease
- Genotypic Influences on Network Progression in Parkinson's Disease — Manhasset, New York
- Non-invasive VNS for Parkinson's Gait — Hines, Illinois
- Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability Study of ND0612 vs. Oral Immediate Release Levodopa/Carbidopa (IR-LD/CD) in Subjects With Parkinson's Disease Experiencing Motor Fluctuations — Phoenix, Arizona
- Long-term Follow-up of Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase (GAD) Gene Transfer in Parkinson's Disease — New Haven, Connecticut
- Modifiable Variables in Parkinsonism (MVP) — Kenmore, Washington
Explore by condition: All Parkinson's Disease clinical trials
💡 How to Participate
- Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
- Contact the study coordinator using the phone/email above.
- Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
- Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.