PET Scan to Map the Areas of the Brain Involved in Planning

March 3, 2008 updated by: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Functional Brain Mapping of Planning Activities With [015] Water PET Blood Flow Technique

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a technique used to investigate the functional activity of the brain. The PET technique allows doctors to study the normal processes of the brain (central nervous system) of normal individuals and patients with neurologic illnesses without physical / structural damage to the brain.

When a region of the brain is active, it uses more fuel in the form of oxygen and sugar (glucose). As the brain uses more fuel it produces more waste products, carbon dioxide and water. Blood carries fuel to the brain and waste products away from the brain. As brain activity increases blood flow to and from the area of activity increases also. Knowing these facts, researchers can use radioactive water (H215O) and PET scans to observe what areas of the brain are receiving more blood flow.

This study will attempt to determine the areas of the brain activated by planning processes and decision making. Researchers will ask patients to participate in tests and games (chess) that will stimulate the areas of the brain involved with decision making and planning while undergoing the water PET blood flow technique.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

This protocol will attempt to determine the topographical distribution in the brain of the cognitive components of planning using the [150] water PET blood flow technique. We will administer perception, motor, simple decision, and planning tasks using the game of chess and the Tower of Hanoi Test as paradigms. Utilizing a "subtraction technique" we hope to identify those areas of cerebral cortex which are most activated by planning processes. It is predicted that the dorsolateral frontal areas will be most prominently activated. It is also predicted that the essential components of the planning process will be the same regardless of the type of plans being executed. The data we collect will be of value in determining 1) the neural representation of planning processes and 2) in guiding cognitive models of the planning system.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment

230

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
    • Maryland
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
        • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Normal Controls:

Males and female subjects from two age ranges: 18-30 and 50-65 years of age.

Individuals with a history of neurological or psychiatric disorder will not be included nor will individuals currently taking psychoactive medication.

Patients:

Patients with outstanding problems in planning.

Patients must have a diagnosed CNS disorder with lesion localization verified by MRI scanning available from the referring physician or completed at the NIH Clinical Center.

Patients with unilateral or bilateral lesions that meet the behavioral criteria for selection (planning disorder).

Patients will be medication free (or taking medication with no known central nervous system effects) and be able to understand instructions and task demands.

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?

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

January 1, 1993

Study Completion

March 1, 2001

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 3, 1999

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 9, 2002

First Posted (Estimate)

December 10, 2002

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

March 4, 2008

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 3, 2008

Last Verified

May 1, 2000

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 930077
  • 93-N-0077

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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