MUNIX in MND
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Motor unit number index estimation in motor neuron disease
IRAS ID
118688
Contact name
Dame Pamela Shaw
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Research summary
Motor neuron disease (MND) causes profound weakness due to loss of the cells that control muscles. These cells are called motor neurons. Development of new treatments is hampered by the lack of a robust method to measure motor neuron loss and therefore know if a treatment is truly effective. This research looks to evaluate whether a new technique called the motor unit number index (MUNIX) is suitable for measuring and monitoring motor neuron loss. 50 patients with an established diagnosis of motor neuron disease are required and the study will take 18 months to complete. It will take place in the department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital. Participants will undergo a physical examination to test muscle strength and then be asked questions on how MND if affecting their life. A neurophysiological evaluation using the MUNIX technique will then be undertaken. They will have serial studies every three months to see how MUNIX alters with disease progression. The total assessment time will be approximately 30 minutes during each visit. The study aims to validate use of the technique in the local centre and in addition, some of the data will be submitted to a Europe wide initiative known as SOPHIA (Sampling and biomarker OPtimization and Harmonization In ALS and other motor neuron diseases). The aim of this collective of researchers is to pool data, providing a more powerful analysis. If successful the technique could play an important role in assessing the effectiveness of new treatments.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/YH/0391
Date of REC Opinion
9 Jan 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion