CNS Changes Following Stroke

Recruiting

• Conditions: Stroke
• Interventions: Diagnostic Test: MRI

• Registration Number: NCT04059276
• Lead Sponsor: University of Zurich

Brief Summary

The objective of this study is to better understand the structural and functional changes that the CNS undergoes following stroke and how these changes relate to clinical measures. Both macroscopic and microscopic changes of the brain and the spinal cord will be examined in stroke patients and compared to healthy controls. In terms of structural plasticity, we aim to identify MR biomarkers that allow predicting the course of the patient's neurological status and accurately describe the course of the disease and the recovery. Importantly, we aim to investigate which factors scale the patients' symptoms.

In terms of functional plasticity, we will combine fMRI with behavioural motor and sensory testing to understand i) the structural and functional interplay between spinal and supraspinal neural circuits after stroke possibly driven by beneficial plasticity/regeneration vs. maladaptive plasticity/degeneration and ii) which clinical and behavioural determinants drive functional hand representations in the primary somatosensory and motor cortices to be maintained and which determinants drive reorganisation of functional representations following sensory input loss. We will further investigate the contribution of brainstem reorganisation to plasticity observed at the cortical level and, by doing so, aim to better understand the mechanistic underpinnings of functional reorganisation.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2019-08-15
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-08-15
• Study First Posted: 2019-08-16
• Study Start: 2019-12-01
• Status Verified: 2024-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-11-20
• Last Update Posted: 2024-11-25
• Primary Completion: 2027-06-30
• Study Completion: 2027-06-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 35

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Patients with stroke	MRI	-
Healthy subjects	MRI	-

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameter	Up to 50 weeks]	Structural characteristics in the brain and spinal cord are assessed in chronic stroke patients using conventional MRI and compared to healthy controls

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) parameter	Up to 50 weeks	Metabolic parameter are assessed in chronic stroke patients using MRS in the brain and spinal cord and compared to healthy controls
Functional MRI (fMRI) parameter	Up to 50 weeks	Brain activity or change of brain activities between 2 to 5 time points is assessed using fMRI during resting-state or a specific task in chronic stroke patients and compared to healthy controls

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Universitätsklinik Balgrist; 🇨🇭 Zürich, Switzerland