NCT04918225: MAP-MS

Motor Asymmetry in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Completed Last updated 19 March 2026

What this trial tests

trial testing Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis, Primary Progressive in 46 participants. Completed in 10 February 2026.

Timeline

3 November 2021

Primary endpoint
10 February 2026

10 February 2026

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Rennes University Hospital
Status	Completed
Study type	OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment	46
Start date	3 November 2021
Primary completion	10 February 2026
Estimated completion	10 February 2026
Sites	1 location across France

Drugs / interventions tested

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Neurological examination
• Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite
• Physiotherapist examination

Conditions studied

• Multiple Sclerosis, Primary Progressive — all drugs for Multiple Sclerosis, Primary Progressive →
• Multiple Sclerosis, Secondary Progressive — all drugs for Multiple Sclerosis, Secondary Progressive →

Sponsor

Rennes University Hospital

Who can join

Adults 18 to 60, any sex, with Multiple Sclerosis, Primary Progressive or Multiple Sclerosis, Secondary Progressive. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

Project Rational

A better understanding of the causes of physical disability is an important unmet need in progressive Multiple Sclerosis patients. Progressive Multiple Sclerosis patients most often present a worsening pyramidal syndrome of lower and, to a lesser extent, upper limbs (Lublin et al., 2014) suggesting a strong corticospinal tract involvement. The systematic high resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging exploration of lesions location and severity, as well as extra-lesional tissue, on pan-medullar and encephalic motor tracts offers the opportunity to better understand the pathological mechanism associated with motor impairment.

Scientific aims

This project will follow a twofold approach. First, the investigators will consider an "inter-patient" approach where independent and absolute Magnetic Resonance metrics for each limb will be related to disability. Second, the investigators will consider an "intra-patient" approach (i.e. comparing differences of Magnetic Resonance metric and of clinical score from the left and the right side in the same patient). For this purpose, progressive Multiple Sclerosis patients with asymmetric motor impairment will be studied. Confronting clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging metric value asymmetries indeed offers the unique opportunity to free oneself from many confounding factors such as genetics, age, duration of disease evolution, acquisition bias, etc. These two approaches will allow us to precisely study the impact of local factors such as Multiple Sclerosis lesions located on motor tracts on motor disability.

Methodology

The investigators propose an observational multicenter cross-sectional and prognostic study. This study will involve two French centers (Rennes, Marseille) and will include a total of 40 progressive Multiple Sclerosis patients with an asymmetrical motor deficit. Twenty sex and age matched controls will be needed to calibrate quantitative Magnetic Resonance imaging (magnetization transfer ratio). Encephalic and pan medullar structural and quantitative Magnetic Resonance images will be acquired at inclusion and clinical follow-up examinations will be performed at inclusion and 24 months. Detailed motor evaluation "per limb" will be performed, including the motor American Society Injury. Association sub-score and upper and lower limbs muscle strength measurements using a dynamometer.

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. LesionSCynth: A simple parametric lesion synthesis method to improve spinal cord lesion segmentation in low-data scenarios.
   Walsh R, Kaur P, Karimi D, Kerbrat A, et al · · 2025 · PMID 41322363 · DOI 10.1162/imag.a.1029