Cognition and Functional Connectivity After Elective Treatment of Brain Aneurysms

January 7, 2018 updated by: Johannes Kepler University Linz, Medical University of Vienna

The aim of this proposal is to investigate the effects of uneventful microsurgical and endovascular treatment of unruptured saccular non-giant anterior communicating artery [ACoA] aneurysms on resting state functional connectivity levels of higher order cognitive networks and to correlate the connectivity levels of these networks with neuropsychological performance and functional outcome.

This study compares two treatment groups and one control group.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Unknown

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The aim of this proposal is to investigate the effects of uneventful microsurgical and endovascular treatment of unruptured saccular non-giant anterior communicating artery [ACoA] aneurysms on resting state functional connectivity levels of higher order cognitive networks and to correlate the connectivity levels of these networks with neuropsychological performance and functional outcome. The investigators' hypothesis is that the functional connectivity of various cognition networks, i.e. cognitive control network, emotion control of cognitive networks, and working memory networks, as assessed by resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging [rsfMRI], can be impaired after uneventful microsurgical and endovascular treatment of unruptured ACoA aneurysms and can be correlated with neuropsychological performance. The investigators propose to investigate 38 patients harboring unruptured ACoA aneurysms and 19 healthy controls over a 36 (until 48) months period. Patients and healthy controls will undergo baseline structural MRI, task fMRI, rsfMRI, and baseline neuropsychological examinations prior as well as 2 months after either microsurgical or endovascular aneurysm treatment or baseline examinations, respectively. Furthermore all subjects will undergo additional neuropsychological examinations 12 months after baseline examination or long-term recovery from microsurgical and endovascular treatment, respectively. The research question is of substantial importance for this patient population, since it is currently incompletely understood how the minor structural brain tissue damages seen after both treatment methods of unruptured ACoA aneurysms translate into the observed neuropsychological deficits - which are often subtle and transient in nature but still insufficiently explained on grounds of morphology and structural connectivity alone. The sensitivity of rsfMRI to depict the functional communication of spatially remote brain regions presents a novel opportunity to investigate these deficits on a whole brain scale by mapping resting state functional connectivity in higher order cognition networks that are thought to be endangered by events related to both microsurgery and embolization. Correlating these data seems promising for several reasons. First, functional connectivity analysis could be correlated with the neuropsychological impairment in various neuropsychiatric disorders and in ischemic stroke. Ischemic damage to the territories supplied by ACoA perforating arteries is involved in many cases of postoperative neuropsychological impairment after ACoA aneurysm treatment. Second, neuropsychological evaluations have become increasingly incorporated into the standard of care in the postoperative follow-up of cerebral aneurysm patients. RsfMRI could serve as a novel adjunct to neuropsychological outcome assessment. Third, the results could add relevant information to the general perception of the role of frontal lobe and forebrain damage in the pathophysiology of neurocognitive impairment. This could have an impact on neurorehabilitation programs to improve neurocognitive outcome and quality of life in this patient population. Forth, the correlation of validated neuropsychological tests with the functional connectivity rsfMRI data would further enhance the role of rsfMRI in neuroscience and its clinical use.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
57

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Austria
      • Vienna, Austria, 1090
        • Medical University Vienna, Dep. of Neurosurgery
    • Upper Austria
      • Linz, Upper Austria, Austria, 4020
        • Johannes Kepler University Linz, Dept. of Neurosurgery

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients treated in university hospital setting

Description

Intervention Groups:

Inclusion criteria

  • Male or female patients aged > 18 years
  • Microsurgical or endovascular treatment of unruptured, saccular, non giant ACoA aneurysm
  • Right-handedness
  • Compliance (the patients have to be able to lay motionless in a 3 Tesla MR scanner and to cooperate with the examiner during the examination)
  • Willingness and competence to sign informed consent form
  • German native speaker

Exclusion criteria

  • Ruptured ACoA aneurysm
  • Previous history of intracranial hemorrhage or serious head injury
  • Non-saccular aneurysm [i.e. dissecting, fusiform, mycotic, traumatic]
  • Psychiatric or neuropsychological impairment prior to aneurysm treatment
  • Current use of any psychotropic drugs except aneurysm treatment related medication
  • Severe visual or auditory impairment
  • Current pregnancy or breast feeding
  • Metallic implants [other than aneurysm clips or coils detailed in the Ethics section] or other contraindications to MRI

Healthy controls:

Inclusion criteria

  • Male or female subjects aged > 18 years
  • Right-handedness
  • Compliance [the patients have to be able to lay motionless in a 3 Tesla MR scanner and to cooperate with the examiner during the examination]
  • Willingness and competence to sign informed consent form
  • German native speaker

Exclusion criteria

  • Major concurrent or previous medical or neurological illness
  • Major concurrent or previous psychiatric Axis I disorder according to DSM-5
  • Clinically significant abnormal values in laboratory screening or general physical examination
  • Current use of any psychotropic drugs
  • Previous history of intracranial hemorrhage, serious head injury
  • Previous or current substance abuse [except nicotine and caffeine]
  • Severe visual or auditory impairment
  • Current pregnancy or breast-feeding
  • Metallic implants or other contraindications to MRI

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Case-Control
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Clipping
Clipping of an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery - A titan clip will be placed round the aneurysm neck to exclude the aneurysm from the bloodflow and prevent fatal subarachnoidal hemorrhage. Patients will undergo baseline structural MRI, task fMRI, rsfMRI, and baseline neuropsychological examinations prior as well as 2 months after microsurgical aneurysm treatment. Furthermore the patients will undergo additional neuropsychological examinations 12 months after long-term recovery from microsurgical treatment.
Procedure: Clipping
During the microsurgical operation a titan clip will be placed round the aneurysm neck to exclude the aneurysm from the bloodflow and prevent fatal subarachnoidal hemorrhage.
Other Names:
  • microsurgical aneurysm clipping
Coiling
Coiling of an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery - Using a catheter technique the aneurysm dome will be filled up with coils to prevent subarachnoidal hemorrhage. Patients will undergo baseline structural MRI, task fMRI, rsfMRI, and baseline neuropsychological examinations prior as well as 2 months after endovascular aneurysm treatment. Furthermore the patients will undergo additional neuropsychological examinations 12 months after long-term recovery from endovascular treatment.
Procedure: Coiling
Using a catheter technique the aneurysm dome will be filled up with coils to prevent subarachnoidal hemorrhage.
Other Names:
  • endovascular treatment of brain aneurysms
Healthy Controls
Healthy controls will undergo baseline structural MRI, task fMRI, rsfMRI, and baseline neuropsychological examinations prior as well as 2 months after baseline examinations. Furthermore all subjects will undergo additional neuropsychological examinations 12 months after baseline examination.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Prefrontal neuronal functional integration measured with fMRI
Time Frame: Changes pre- vs. posttreatment after 2 months
Changes pre- vs. posttreatment after 2 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Prefrontal executive functioning measured with neuropsychological tests
Time Frame: Changes pre- vs. posttreatment after 2 months (short-term outcome) and after 12 months (long-term outcome).
Changes pre- vs. posttreatment after 2 months (short-term outcome) and after 12 months (long-term outcome).
Correlation of changes on neuropsychological (executive functioning) and neuronal level (fMRI).
Time Frame: Changes pre- vs. posttreatment after 2 months measured with fMRI correlated with changes in neuropsychological tests after 2 months (short-term outcome) and after 12 months (long-term outcome).
Changes pre- vs. posttreatment after 2 months measured with fMRI correlated with changes in neuropsychological tests after 2 months (short-term outcome) and after 12 months (long-term outcome).

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Medical University of Vienna

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Johannes Kepler University of Linz

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Andreas Gruber, MD, Johannes Kepler University of Linz

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 8, 2018

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 1, 2019

Study Completion (Anticipated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 2, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 2, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 4, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 9, 2018

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 7, 2018

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • KLI 597 B27

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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