Functional, Structural, and Metabolic Central Nervous System Changes Following Damage of the Central Nervous System

Status: Recruiting
Location: See location...
Intervention Type: Diagnostic test
Study Type: Observational
SUMMARY

The objective of this study is to better understand the structural and functional changes that the central nervous system (CNS) undergoes following congenital upper limb loss. The focus is on the brain's sensory processing and how neuronal changes may relate to clinical measures. By doing so, the hope is to gain insight into the contribution of critical periods to the plasticity of the sensorimotor processing stream. Both macroscopic and microscopic changes of the brain will be examined in individuals with upper limb amelia and compared to healthy controls. fMRI will be combined with behavioural testing to understand which clinical and behavioural determinants drive somatosensory representations along the entire somatosensory processing stream. Using advanced imaging techniques, the aim is to investigate the contribution of brainstem reorganisation to plasticity observed at the cortical level and, by doing so, gain a better understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of functional reorganisation. Overall, the hope is to provide the first mechanistic insight into whether early life experiences are crucial for the development of the relay nuclei in the central nervous system and how these changes relate to clinical measures such as adaptive behaviours or pain.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 18
Maximum Age: 75
Healthy Volunteers: t
View:

• Age 18-75

• Upper-limb congenital amputees with complete absence of a hand

• Signed informed consent

• Age 18-75

• Signed Informed consent

Locations
Other Locations
Switzerland
Balgrist Campus
RECRUITING
Zurich
Contact Information
Primary
Paige Howell, PhD
paige.howell@hest.ethz.ch
+41 44 632 32 94
Backup
Sanne Kikkert
sanne.kikkert@balgrist.ch
+41 44 632 32 94
Time Frame
Start Date: 2023-07-05
Estimated Completion Date: 2027-06-30
Participants
Target number of participants: 70
Treatments
Patients with congenital amputation
Healthy subjects
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Collaborators: ETH Zurich
Leads: University of Zurich

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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