Macromolecular Imaging of White and Gray Matter Pathology in Multiple Sclerosis

April 22, 2026 updated by: University of Wisconsin, Madison
The overall purpose of this research is to determine whether new macromolecular measures optimized for whole brain (gray matter and white matter) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), predict neuro-cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Enrolling by invitation

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

MRI is a vital component of a MS work-up, providing noninvasive evidence of MS lesions, detecting active inflammatory lesions, and measuring brain atrophy to assess neurodegeneration. Recent years of MRI research have generated strong evidence of gray matter (GM) involvement in MS, resulting in the reclassification of MS as a whole-brain disease. Similar to white matter (WM), a primary target of MS pathology in GM is myelin, the protective sheath insulating the penetrating axons within GM and extending brain connectivity all the way to the neuronal bodies.

This aim of this research is to examine if the associations between imaging measures of GM disease and cognitive performance can establish GM-based imaging correlates predicting the disease course and accurately assessing treatment results.

This observational research will enroll adults diagnosed with MS both with and without cognitive impairment. Subjects will be asked to complete a single research visit that includes the administration of a MRI scan and a neuro-cognitive testing session.

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 (Estimated)

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.
75

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

  • United States
    • Wisconsin
      • Madison, Wisconsin, United States, 53705
        • University of Wisconsin, Madison

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

14 years to 56 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adults diagnosed with MS both with and without evidence of cognitive impairment.

Healthy controls will be recruited from the MRI Volunteer Database (2017-0004, PI: Reeder)

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Clinically definite MS
  • Adult age 18 to 60

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Contraindication to MRI
  • Changes in MS therapy in the last 6 months
  • Less than 6 weeks after relapse or corticosteroid use
  • Currently taking medication that may affect cognition (e.g. donepezil, rivastigmine, adderall)
  • History of significant alcohol or drug abuse
  • Current or recent significant migraines
  • Confounding neurological or cognitive disorders or deficits (stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy)
  • Sensory or physical impairments that might interfere significantly with cognitive testing
  • History of developmental or learning disability or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.\

Exclusion Criteria for Healthy Controls:

  • history of alcohol/drug abuse
  • history of migraines
  • developmental or learning disability/attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
  • currently pregnant/breastfeeding

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.
Cognitive Impairment
Adults diagnosed with MS that have evidence of cognitive decline.
Diagnostic test: MRI
The MRI protocol will include conventional testing for MS lesion detection and functional MR imaging to localize associated neurocognitive domains in each subject.
Other Names:
  • Functional MRI
Diagnostic test: Neuropsychological Testing
A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests will be administered to assess memory, new learning, spatial processing and higher executive function.
No Cognitive Impairment
Adults diagnosed with MS that have no evidence of cognitive decline.
Diagnostic test: MRI
The MRI protocol will include conventional testing for MS lesion detection and functional MR imaging to localize associated neurocognitive domains in each subject.
Other Names:
  • Functional MRI
Diagnostic test: Neuropsychological Testing
A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests will be administered to assess memory, new learning, spatial processing and higher executive function.
Healthy Controls
Healthy adult volunteers will form a control group matched for age, gender, education, handedness
Diagnostic test: MRI
The MRI protocol will include conventional testing for MS lesion detection and functional MR imaging to localize associated neurocognitive domains in each subject.
Other Names:
  • Functional MRI

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
Measurement of macromolecular proton content (MPC) by Magnetic resonance imaging
Time Frame: 24 hours
Macromolecular Proton Fraction (MPF) is calculated from several specially acquired MR images and is characterized by high degree of sensitivity and specificity to tissue macromolecules, which are the main target of pathological process in neurodegenerative diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS). These properties of MPF are in contrast with standard MR images, which are primarily sensitive to tissue water molecules.
24 hours

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
Measure Description
Time Frame
Neurocognitive performance as measured by Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in MS (MACFIMS) battery of neuropsychological (NP) tests
Time Frame: 24 hours
The results of Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in MS (MACFIMS) battery of neuropsychological (NP) tests will form the secondary outcome measure. The NP scores will be correlated with MPF to study association between macromolecular tissue damage and neurocognitive performance.
24 hours
Neurocognitive performance as measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score
Time Frame: 24 hours
Neurocognitive performance will be measured by Montreal Cognitive Assessment. MoCA scores range from 0 to 30, higher values corresponding to better cognitive performances.
24 hours

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.
University of Wisconsin, Madison

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.
National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)

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: Alexey Samsonov, PhD, UW Madison

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.
November 19, 2021

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
April 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
April 1, 2027

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 29, 2020

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 29, 2020

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.
June 4, 2020

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.
April 28, 2026

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.
April 22, 2026

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.
April 1, 2026

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.
  • 2020-0310
  • A539300 (Other Identifier: UW Madison)
  • SMPH/RADIOLOGY/RADIOLOGY (Other Identifier: UW Madison)
  • 1R01EB027087-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • Protocol Version 4/8/2024 (Other Identifier: UW Madison)

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

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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