Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) Center of Excellence at the Neurological Institute of New York

Columbia University's HDSA Center of Excellence offers comprehensive services for individuals affected by Huntington's Disease (HD) and their families. We provide direct patient care as well as opportunities to participate in research to better understand and treat HD.

Our specialized multidisciplinary team of health professionals provides the highest level of clinical care for HD patients and their families. In addition to neurological, and psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, we offer social services, and a genetic counseling and testing program. Physical and occupational therapy are offered on-site at the Neurological Institute at 710 W168th street. The Center operates on Fridays from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM, by appointment only. We actively participate in the Huntington Study Group (HSG), a national consortium of HD Centers. We are currently recruiting for the following studies:

Research

Clinical Trials 

Huntington’s disease: DIMENSION (SAGE-718-201). NCT05107128

Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study to Evaluate the Effect of SAGE-718 on Cognitive Function in Participants With Huntington's Disease. Duration: 112 days. Participants must have a total functional capacity score (TFC) ranging from 7-12 (<6 and 13 excluded) and a MoCA score <26 at the time of enrollment. Assessments will include cognitive tests, physical examinations, psychiatric assessments, Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT), and blood tests.

PI: Dr. O’Shea; Call Jasim Uddin 212-305-4597

Huntington’s disease: SURVEYOR (SAGE-718-202). NCT05358821

Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study to Evaluate the Effect of SAGE-718 on Functioning Capacity in Participants With Huntington's Disease. Duration: 84 days. Participants must have a total functional capacity score (TFC) ranging from 7-12 (<6 and 13 excluded) and a MoCA score <26 at the time of enrollment. Assessments will include cognitive tests, physical examinations, psychiatric assessments, Virtual Reality Functional Capacity Assessment Tool (VRFCAT), and blood tests.

PI: Dr. O’Shea; Call Jasim Uddin 212-305-4597

Huntington’s disease: PURVIEW (SAGE-718-301). NCT05655520

A Phase 3, multicenter, open-label safety study to evaluate the long-term safety and tolerability of SAGE-718 in participants with Huntington’s disease. We are recruiting individuals with HD who participated in SAGE 201 as well as new participants. Duration of the study will be one year.

PI: Dr. O’Shea. Call Jasim Uddin 212-305-4597

Huntington’s Disease: Dance for HD (HDSA)

Movement Intervention for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND): Dance for HD Phase 2. Feasibility and preliminary efficacy study. Inclusion: Diagnosed with HD. Age >18. TFC score= 7-13. Intervention= Laban-Bartenieff dance technique, 2 days a week for 18 weeks. Duration: about 24 weeks. Visits: 4 (pre-assessment, baseline, post-assessment, retention). Procedures include: Neurological assessment, balance and gait test, cognitive test, quality of life questionnaire.

PI: Dr. Rao. Call Corey Landis 212-305-1647

Observational study

ENROLL HD: NCT01574053 (CHDI)

Enroll-HD is a longitudinal, observational, multinational study whose goal is to develop a comprehensive repository of prospective and systematically collected clinical research data (demography, clinical features, family history, genetic characteristics) and biological specimens (blood) from individuals with manifest HD, unaffected individuals known to carry the HD mutation or at risk of carrying the HD mutation, and control research participants (e.g., spouses, siblings or offspring of HD mutation carriers known not to carry the HD mutation). More than 20,000 participants have now enrolled into the study for annual assessments (www.enroll-hd.org/for-researchers/access-data/) to learn more.

PI: Karen Marder. Call Jasim Uddin 212 305 -4597

Huntington’s Disease: CHANGE-HD NCT01860339

Child to Adult Neurodevelopment in Gene Expanded Huntington’s Disease

Duration: 5 years, yearly visit Inclusion: Ages 6-30 with parent/grandparent with HD, Procedures: blood draw, structural MRI, lifestyle questionnaires, cognitive tests, motor tests.

PI: Dr. Rao. Call Jennifer Oscherician 212-305-1647

HD-Balance Study

Individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) have balance impairments that put them at risk for falls, however there are no standardized outcome measures of balance that are specific to HD. Outcome measures are vital to understanding the nature of balance impairments as well as to evaluate improvement in balance following interventions, including medication or rehabilitation. The purpose of this study is to administer a battery of balance outcome measures that have been used in people with neurodegenerative diseases to determine which items are appropriate for people with HD. This study requires 1 in person assessment (with a second optional in person assessment one week later). The study time takes 2 hours each session, and participants will undergo some patient-reported assessments as well as testing of balance and walking. This study will take place at Teachers College, Columbia University at 525 W 120th St. CUMC IRB: AAAU1786.

For information, contact Chelsea Macpherson, PT, DPT, NCS at 212-678-3916 or neurorehablab@tc.columbia.edu

For more information about participating in research, please contact Jasim Uddin at (212) 305-4597 or via email at ju2189@cumc.columbia.edu.

For more clinical trials and studies, please visit the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain website.

HD Patient Care

For new referrals and appointments at the Neurological Institute, please contact Deborah Thorne, LCSW at (212) 305-9172 or via email at dzt1@cumc.columbia.edu.

Genetic counseling and testing, please contact Amanda Bergner, CGC at 212 304 7703 or at ab4607@cumc.columbia.edu.

Staff

Karen Marder, MD, MPH – Attending Neurologist, COE Director

Deborah Thorne, LCSW – Social Worker, Director of Clinical Care

Sarah A. O'Shea, MD – Attending Neurologist

Amanda Bergner, MS, LCGC – Genetic Counselor

Ashwini Rao, EdD, OTR – Occupational Therapy

Lori Quinn, EdD, PT – Physical Therapy 

Jill Goldman, MS, MPhil, CGC – Genetic Counselor

Jasim Uddin – Clinical and Research Coordinator

Miles DeGrazia – Research Assistant

Vanessa Torres– Research Assistant

Rumsha Javed – Research Assistant 

Other Helpful Resources

Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA)

CHDI Foundation

Hereditary Disease Foundation (HDF)

HD YO Huntington's Disease Youth Organization 

Principal Investigator

  • Karen S. Marder, MD, MPH

    • Sally Kerlin Professor of Neurology (in the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, in the Taub Institute on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, and in Psychiatry) at CUMC
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