NCT00081432

Language and Emotional Function in Patients With Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Completed Last updated 2 July 2017

What this trial tests

trial in Epilepsy in 20 participants. Completed in 27 April 2010.

Timeline

9 April 2004

27 April 2010

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Status	Completed
Study type	OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment	20
Start date	9 April 2004
Estimated completion	27 April 2010
Sites	1 location across United States

Conditions studied

• Epilepsy — all drugs for Epilepsy →
• Temporal Lobe — all drugs for Temporal Lobe →

Sponsor

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Epilepsy or Temporal Lobe. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

This study uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine how the brain processes tasks involving language and emotion in normal volunteers and in patients with epilepsy. MRI is a diagnostic and research tool that uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to obtain images of body organs and tissues. The MRI scanner is a metal cylinder surrounded by a magnetic field. During the test, the subject lies on a table that can slide in and out of the cylinder. DTI involves taking pictures of the brain while the subject is at rest in order to learn about the structure of the brain. Information gained from this study will help scientists evaluate the organization of language and emotional functions in the brain.

Normal volunteers and patients with temporal lobe epilepsy 18 years of age and older who are native English speakers and who will undergo surgery for uncontrolled seizures may be eligible for this study. Candidates are initially screened by telephone, then with physical and neurologic examinations and cognitive testing.

The study has two parts, conducted 6 to 12 months apart. Each part consists of the same sets of tests described below, using fMRI and DTI. In patients with epilepsy, Part 1 is scheduled before surgery and Part 2 after surgery.

* fMRI: Subjects are asked to perform two types of tasks while they undergo fMRI. In one task, they are shown pictures of animals and tools and are asked to name them. In a second task, they are shown pictures that range in content from sexually explicit material, to human injury and surgical slides, to pleasant images of children and wildlife and are asked to decide whether they find the pictures pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant.
* DTI: Subjects relax and remain still in the MRI scanner for about 45 minutes.
* Neuropsychological testing: Subjects may be asked to complete questionnaires, take pen-and-paper or computerized tests, and perform motor tasks.

Participants may be asked to repeat the MRI studies, but not the neuropsychological tests, up to four times to investigate different brain functions or to confirm findings.

Publications & conference data

No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial. Completed trials usually publish results within 12-18 months.