Status:

TERMINATED

The Role of Serotonin in Seizures

Lead Sponsor:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Conditions:

Epilepsy

Seizures

Eligibility:

All Genders

18-60 years

Brief Summary

This study will investigate the role that a brain chemical called serotonin plays in seizures. Serotonin, present naturally in the brain, helps transmit signals between nerve cells. Glucose is a sugar...

Detailed Description

Objective: To study serotonergic transmission in epilepsy and its relation to cerebral glucose metabolism, mesial temporal sclerosis, and depression. Study population: Patients with localization-rela...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:
  • Patients must have seizures documented by appropriate clinical and laboratory studies . This criterion will be established by studies performed by the referring physicians, preliminary screening in the NINDS Clinical Epilepsy Section outpatient clinic, or if necessary, inpatient video-EEG monitoring.
  • Male and Female subjects aged between 18 and 60 years
  • Healthy control subjects will also be recruited.
  • Subjects must be able to give written informed consent prior to participation in this study.
  • EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
  • Patients younger than 18 or older than 60 years old. There is evidence for reduced 5HT1A receptor binding in patients over 60.
  • Patients with a known treatable seizure etiology such as neoplastic or infectious disease.
  • Patients with MRI findings consistent with brain tumors, trauma or AVMs.
  • Patients with progressive neurologic disorders.
  • Patients with a history of significant medical disorders, or requiring treatment with drugs
  • that can not be stopped, and would interfere with the study, except for antidepressants.
  • Patients with cancer.
  • Patients not capable of giving an informed consent.
  • Patients who had seizure activity 24 hours prior to the study.
  • Women who are pregnant or nursing
  • Subjects who are current smokers, and cannot stop for at least two weeks before the PET scan, as smoking may affect serotonergic neurotransmission.
  • Healthy subjects must be free from a personal history of seizure disorders
  • Patients with coagulation abnormalities.

Exclusion

    Key Trial Info

    Start Date :

    February 20 2007

    Trial Type :

    OBSERVATIONAL

    Allocation :

    ACTUAL

    End Date :

    June 5 2015

    Estimated Enrollment :

    46 Patients enrolled

    Trial Details

    Trial ID

    NCT00439387

    Start Date

    February 20 2007

    End Date

    June 5 2015

    Last Update

    July 5 2018

    Active Locations (1)

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    Page 1 of 1 (1 locations)

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    National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike

    Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892