Deep Brain Stimulation for Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 6

This study is testing the safety of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for people with Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 6 (SCA6). DBS involves surgically placing a device in a part of the brain called the cerebellum to use electrical stimulation to help with ataxia symptoms. We are looking for 5 adults, aged 21 to 89, who have a confirmed diagnosis of SCA6, a positive genetic test, and certain levels of ataxia symptoms. The main goals are to see how much your ataxia symptoms improve, measured by the SARA and PROM-Ataxia scores, over about two years. This study is currently unclear on its recruitment status.

Study design
This is an interventional study involving 5 participants with Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 6 (SCA6). It is not specified if the study is randomized or blinded.
What's involved
Participants will undergo surgery to implant a Deep Brain Stimulator device. Your ataxia symptoms will be measured from before the surgery through about two years after.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed for about two years after the start of the study.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT07288437

Deep Brain Stimulation for Spinocerebellar Ataxia

Recruiting
NAAges 21–89InterventionalTreatment
University of California, San Francisco
~5 participants
Updated 2026-07-13 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 2 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Average total score for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA)
Measured over From baseline through study completion, about 2 years.
+1 more outcome measured
Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA)
Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 6

NCT07288437

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 2 sites. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • University of California, San Francisco

    San Francisco, Californiastudy coordinator listed

    Not yet recruiting

  • UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences

    San Francisco, Californiano site contact published

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

  • Marta San Luciano Palenzuela, MD, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of California, San Francisco
Marta San Luciano Palenzuela, MD, PhD
Email the study team

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  • Average total score for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA)From baseline through study completion, about 2 years.

    SARA is a clinical scale that assesses a variety of different impairments for individuals with cerebellar ataxia. The scale includes 8 different items that are related to gait, stance, sitting, speech, finger-chase test, nose-finger test, fast alternating movements, and heel-shin test. The total amount of points on SARA ranges from 0 (no ataxia) to 40 (most severe ataxia). This study requires participants to have a minimum SARA score of at least 8 so that people who are relatively early in their disease course with limited cerebellar degeneration can be included.

  • Average total Patient-Reported Outcome Measure of Ataxia (PROM-Ataxia) ScoreFrom baseline through study completion, about 2 years.

    PROM-Ataxia is a 3-domain, 70-item questionnaire used for the assessment of ataxia-related symptoms. It incorporates a series of questions ranging to the impact of cerebellar dysfunction on physical abilities, activities of daily living, and cognitive-emotional challenges. The maximum severity score on PROM-Ataxia is 280, where all 70 questions are scored on a 0-4 Likert scale. 0 represents never and 4 represents always.