Natural History Study of Synucleinopathies

Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter released by the body and essential for maintaining blood pressure

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and even angina on standing. It occurs when the autonomic reflexes that control blood pressure are impaired. OH is common and often an early sign of multiple system atrophy.

Norepinephrine is released by the autonomic nervous system and is the main neurotransmitter that prevents blood pressure from falling to low levels when upright. Around 50% of patients with MSA fail to release norepinephrine on standing, causing their blood pressure to fall to very low levels.

Both new trials will look at the effects of enhancing norepinephrine levels outside that brain as a way to improve symptoms of low blood pressure standing.

The NYU Dysautonomia Center has 2 new clinical trials to test new drugs that are being developed for the treatment of OH in patients with MSA. Both compounds…