Cognitive Function and Fatigue After Brain Abscess
-
- STATUS
- Recruiting
-
- End date
- Dec 31, 2030
-
- participants needed
- 50
-
- sponsor
- University of Oslo
Summary
Brain abscess is a focal bacterial or fungal infection of the brain. Treatment is neurosurgical drainage of pus followed by long-term antibiotic treatment. In spite of successful treatment of the infection, long-term cognitive problems or mental fatigue may ensue. The reason for this dysfunction may be a continuing inflammatory state or damage to brain tissue caused by the abscess. The investigators will evaluate these possibilities with the use of [31F]deoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in patients who have been treated for brain abscess and who experience cognitive problems and/or fatigue. FDG-PET may identify both inflammation and altered neuronal activity (the latter indicating damage to brain tissue).
Description
Brain abscess is a focal bacterial or fungal infection of the brain, which results in a pus-filled cavity within the brain parenchyma. The incidence is approximately 50/100 000 per year, and all age groups are affected. Treatment is neurosurgical drainage of pus followed by long-term antibiotic treatment. Previously, the capsule that surrounds the pus was removed surgically; this is not usually done anymore. In spite of successful treatment of the infection, patients may experience long-lasting cognitive problems or mental fatigue. The reason for this brain dysfunction is not known.
The investigators formulated two hypotheses to explain why some patients experience long-lasting cognitive problems and/or fatigue: 1) The brain abscess caused damage to brain tissue, interrupting neuronal networks underlying cognition or 2) The abscess or the remaining capsule causes a long-lasting inflammatory state of the brain, affecting neurotransmission and cerebral function.
In this prospective study, the investigators evaluate brain abscess patients by cognitive examination by a neuropsychologist at 2 and 12 months after treatment. Participants then undergo [31F]deoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). An inflammatory state in the abscess area would be identified by the FDG-PET signal. Likewise, a change in neuronal (neocortical) function would be detectable from a change in the FDG-PET signal.
Importantly, brain damage caused by the abscess may be irreversible and functional improvement of the patient would probably have to rely on compensatory strategies, whereas an inflammatory state could probably be modified by anti-inflammatory treatment.
Further, the prognosis for the patients' cognitive problems and fatigue is probably different if the underlying cause is inflammation rather than tissue damage.
Details
| Condition | lack of energy, neurocognitive disturbance, Fatigue, tired, Brain Abscess, Cognitive Impairment, fatigued, Cognitive Impairments, Cognitive Dysfunction |
|---|---|
| Treatment | FDG-PET |
| Clinical Study Identifier | NCT04938362 |
| Sponsor | University of Oslo |
| Last Modified on | 10 October 2021 |
How to participate?
,
You have contacted , on
Your message has been sent to the study team at ,
What happens next?
- You can expect the study team to contact you via email or phone in the next few days.
- Sign up as volunteer to help accelerate the development of new treatments and to get notified about similar trials.
You are contacting
Primary Contact
Additional screening procedures may be conducted by the study team before you can be confirmed eligible to participate.
Learn moreIf you are confirmed eligible after full screening, you will be required to understand and sign the informed consent if you decide to enroll in the study. Once enrolled you may be asked to make scheduled visits over a period of time.
Learn moreComplete your scheduled study participation activities and then you are done. You may receive summary of study results if provided by the sponsor.
Learn moreSimilar trials to consider
Not finding what you're looking for?
Sign up as a volunteer to stay informed
Every year hundreds of thousands of volunteers step forward to participate in research. Sign up as a volunteer and receive email notifications when clinical trials are posted in the medical category of interest to you.
Sign up as volunteer