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Your participation matters.
By joining a clinical trial, you help bring advanced medical treatments to those who need them most.
Register for a Study
Parkinson's Disease Therapy Study
We are seeking individuals with Parkinson’s Disease for a study investigating the impact of multimodal non-invasive neuromodulation and intensive physical therapy on balance.
Psilocybin and Alcohol Use Disorder Study
If you are between 18-70 years of age and have a desire to reduce or stop alcohol consumption, you may be eligible to participate in a study involving psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy.
Psilocybin and Treatment Resistant Depression Study
Study coming soon.
Psilocybin and Depression Study
If you are between 19-65 years of age with mild-moderate Major Depressive Disorder (depression) and are currently taking selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), you may be eligible to participate in a study involving psilocybin-assisted therapy.
Post-Concussion Therapy Study
We are looking for individuals who have been experiencing concussion symptoms for more than 3 months to participate in a study investigating the effectiveness of light therapy on brain function and concussion symptoms.
Essential Tremor Study
If you are between 18-75 years of age with Essential Tremors (ETs), you may be eligible to participate in a study investigating the effects of an experimental oral medication on ET symptoms.
Non-Invasive Infrared Light Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)
If you are age 50 years or older and have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), you may be eligible to participate in a study investigating the effects of a photobiomodulation device for moderate to severe Alzheimer’s Disease.
Neurostimulation Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
We are conducting a new pilot study to understand the feasibility of a study treatment including Cognitive Processing Therapy and neurostimulation for those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Don’t see a study for you? Join our participant database to be notified when new studies are launched!
Everyone is welcome to see if they qualify for a current or future research study.
Know someone else who might be interested in participating?
Receive up to $150 through our refer-a-friend program.
Clinical Research Services Advancing Healthcare Innovations for a Positive Impact on Brain Health
The Centre for Neurology Studies (CNS) is one of the few private clinical research centres in Canada. We integrate real-world clinical practices and scientific evidence in a unique ecosystem to advance research with a special focus in neuroscience.
Our clinical trials receive approval from a third-party ethics board and authorization for regulators (Health Canada/FDA) to proceed when required, and are executed by qualified and certified professionals. We maintain the highest level of participant safety. All participation is voluntary, and most studies are compensated.
WHAT IS A CLINICAL TRIAL?
Clinical trials are key to discovering new ways to prevent, detect and treat disease to improve the health of current and future generations. They are research studies performed by certified professionals to find out whether a product – such as a drug or medical device – is safe and effective for people.
The people who participate in trials are volunteers. They may be patients with a specific disease, or healthy people wanting to contribute to the advancement of medical knowledge.
Clinical trials are done in phases.
The four phases of drug trials
Phase I – These trials test an experimental drug on a small group (20-100) of healthy volunteers for the first time.
The purpose is to:
- Assess the drug’s safety and tolerance
- Find out what a safe range would be for dosage
- Identify major adverse effects
Phase II – The drug is given to a larger group of people (usually 100 or more) to:
- Obtain preliminary data on the effectiveness of the drug for a particular disease or condition
- Further assess the drug’s safety
- Determine the best dose
Phase III – The drug is given to even larger groups of people (hundreds or thousands) to:
- Confirm its effectiveness
- Monitor side effects, determine minor adverse effects
- Compare it to commonly used treatments, and determine drug-drug interactions
- Collect information that will allow the drug to be used safely on the market
Phase IV – These trials are done after the drug is approved and is on the market. They gather information on things like the best way to use a drug, and the long-term benefits and risks.
Potential Risks – Each study will have its own unique risks and benefits – these will be described clearly to you during the consent process before any study activities begin.
While you may participate in a study to gain access to a promising new treatment, you should be aware this is not a guarantee. Clinical trials often compare new treatments to a placebo or an existing treatment, so you may end up being assigned to a group that does not get the new treatment.
The three phases of device trials
Overview – Device trials may initially be conducted in a smaller “pilot” population with the disease or condition being studied, before moving into the larger “pivotal” population.
The total number of subjects needed to show safety and effectiveness is often only one or two hundred, rather than thousands needed for drug trials.
Pilot – The device is tested in a smaller (10-30) “pilot” population with the disease or condition being studied in order to:
- Determine preliminary safety and performance information
Pivotal – The device is tested in a larger (150-300) population with the disease or condition being studied in order to:
- Determine effectiveness and adverse effects
Post-Approval study – These studies are performed after the device is approved and is on the market. They gather information on things like the long-term benefits and risks.
Potential Risks – Each study will have its own unique risks and benefits – these will be described clearly to you during the consent process before any study activities begin.
While you may participate in a study to gain access to a promising new treatment, you should be aware this is not a guarantee. Clinical trials often compare new treatments to a placebo or an existing treatment, so you may end up being assigned to a group that does not get the new treatment.
Why It Matters
Through clinical research, many common treatments and medical devices have been tested and evaluated before being made available to the public. With your help, we can continue to make medical advances to treat a variety of neurological conditions, and optimize brain health.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Below are some additional links to therapeutic technologies, clinical trials and focused therapy groups for individuals with neurological and mental health conditions. Many of these groups are our collaborators and partners based in British Columbia, Canada. The technologies listed below are available across both Canada and the USA.
Resources for Concussion & Brain/Spinal Cord Injury
PoNS Therapy™ combines mild stimulation of the tongue with targeted therapeutic activities which may help improve balance and gait: https://www.snpc.tech/programs/pons-therapy/
The Surrey Neuroplasticity Clinic offers a multidisciplinary, personalized concussion treatment program https://www.snpc.tech/services/concussion-rehabilitation/
BioFlex photobiomodulation therapy technology uses superluminous and laser diodes to treat diseased or traumatized tissue. Find a clinic here: https://bioflexlaser.com/clinic-locator/
Brain Injury Canada has a service directory on their website to help you find organizations and services related to brain injury, recovery, and daily living. https://braininjurycanadaconnect.ca/how-to-use-the-directory/
MyndTec creates electrical stimulation devices designed for (1) individuals with hemiplegia due to stroke or upper limb paralysis due to C3-T1 spinal cord injury and (2) individuals with foot drop following an upper motor neuron injury or disease. https://www.myndtec.com/
ICORD (International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries) is an interdisciplinary research centre focused on spinal cord injury. Clinical, behavioural, and rehab studies for individuals with spinal cord injury can be found at: https://icord.org/research/participate-in-a-study/
Resources for Dementia & Neurological Disease
PoNS Therapy™ combines mild stimulation of the tongue with targeted therapeutic activities which may help improve balance and gait: https://www.snpc.tech/services/pons-treatment/
Alzheimer’s Society of Canada Clinical Trials: https://alzheimer.ca/find-studies/
UBC Hospital Clinic for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (CARD) Clinical Trials: https://card.med.ubc.ca/research/
Parkinson’s Society of BC website has a list of resources and services including exercise programs and support groups https://www.parkinson.bc.ca/resources-services/
MS Clinical Trials at UBC: https://www.ms.ubc.ca/clinical-trials
Resources for PTSD & Mental Health
If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, or if you are supporting someone else who is, the crisis lines below are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and are helpful for issues of any size:
- Crisis Centre Distress Line (Vancouver): 604-872-3311
- Fraser Health Crisis Line: 604-951-8855
- Suicide Priority Line: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
Resources for Brain Performance & Human Optimization
VieLight makes wearable photobiomodulation devices to enhance cognitive function and general wellness: https://www.vielight.com/
CogCamp Cognitive Conditioning is a 4-week program to help improve cognitive function such as memory, attention and executive function, and treats conditions including fatigue, brain fog and other brain-related deficits: https://www.snpc.tech/services/cogcamp-cognitive-conditioning/
Roots to Thrive is Canada’s first and only multidisciplinary, non-profit healthcare practice to legally offer evidence-informed, multi-week, group therapy programs that include psilocybin-assisted and ketamine-assisted group therapy sessions: https://rootstothrive.com/
Gathering is a 12-week online community of practice that brings together a group of 6-8 people with the shared purpose of connection, resilience and personal growth: https://gatheringgroups.ca/
Other Clinical Trials
ReachBC connects individuals with health researchers across British Columbia https://reachbc.ca/
Clinicaltrials.gov is a database of privately and publicly funded clinical studies conducted around the world https://clinicaltrials.gov/
Power is a self-serve patient-recruitment marketplace for clinical trials in North America: https://www.withpower.com/