Investigating Epilepsy: Screening and Evaluation
Recruiting · NCT03478852 · Observational (researchers observe without assigning treatment) · Lead sponsor: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
View the official record on ClinicalTrials.gov →What this trial is about
Background: Epilepsy affects about 1 percent of the U.S. population. Most people with epilepsy respond well to medicine, but some do not. Researchers want people who have diagnosed or suspected epilepsy to participate in ongoing studies. They want to learn more about clinical care for epilepsy. They want fellows and residents to learn more about the care of people with epilepsy. Objectives: To learn more about seizures and find ways to best treat people with drug-resistant epilepsy. Eligibility: Adults and children ages 8 years and older with diagnosed or suspected epilepsy Design: Participants will be screened with: Physical exam Medical history Questionnaires Participants will have many visits. They may be admitted to the hospital for several weeks. Their medication might be stopped or changed. Participants will have many tests: Blood and urine tests EEG: Wires attached to the head with paste record brain waves. This may be videotaped. Thinking and memory tests MRI: Participants lie on a table that slides in and out of a tube. They perform simple tasks in the tube. MEG: Participants lie on a table and place their head in a helmet to record brain waves. PET scan: Participants lie on a table that slides into a machine. A small amount of radioactive dye is injected into their arm with an IV. For the IV, a small tube is inserted into the arm with a needle. Participants will stay enrolled in this study if they join other epilepsy-related studies. They may be contacted at intervals for follow-up. Their participation will end if they have not been seen clinically for their epilepsy for 3 years.
Who can take part
Inclusion criteria
- Age 8 years or older
- Known or suspected diagnosis of epilepsy
- Ability to give informed consent or have a legally authorized representative able to give consent (for adults without consent capacity) or parent/guardian able to provide informed consent (for a child)
- If unable to give informed consent, ability to give verbal assent
Exclusion criteria
- Patients with unstable medical conditions that, in the opinion of the investigators, makes participation unsafe, or who, in the opinion of the investigators may be unable to comply with the protocol
- Patients who are unable to travel to the NIH
Where it is running
1 location listed across 1 US state.
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center - Bethesda, Maryland, United States