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NCT04157179Recruiting

Cerebral Oxygen Metabolism in Children

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 11 Sept 2025 · Not updated for over 12 months - ask the site whether it is still open

Brief summary (registry, in English)

The purpose of this research study is to better understand how blood flow and metabolism change can influence brain development in the early decades of life. We will examine brain blood flow and metabolism using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The brain's blood vessels expand and constrict to regulate blood flow based on the brain's needs. The amount of expanding and contracting the blood vessels can do varies by age. The brain's blood flow changes in small ways during everyday activities, such as normal brain growth, exercise, or deep concentration. Significant illness or psychological stress may increase the brain's metabolic demand or cause other bigger changes in blood flow. If blood vessels are not able to expand to give more blood flow when metabolic demand is high, the brain may not get all of the oxygen it needs. In extreme circumstances, if the brain is unable to get enough oxygen for a long time, a stroke may occur. Sometimes small strokes occur without other noticeable changes and are only detectable on an MRI. These are sometimes called "silent strokes." In less extreme circumstances, not having as much oxygen as it wants may cause the brain to grow and develop more slowly than it should. One way to test the ability of blood vessels to expand is by measuring blood flow while breathing in carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide causes blood vessels in the brain to dilate without increasing brain metabolism. During this study participants may be asked to undergo a blood draw, MRI, and potential neuropsychological assessments. It is also possible that the study team will use a special mask to control the amount of carbon dioxide the participants breathe in so they don't breathe in too much.

Status (registry)
Recruiting
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
350 (estimated)
First submitted
6 Nov 2019
Start date
17 Oct 2019
Primary completion date
Dec 2027
Lead sponsor
Washington University School of Medicine
NCT number
NCT04157179

What you commit to

  • Study type: Interventional
  • Planned participants: 350
  • From 17 Oct 2019 to the primary completion date, Dec 2027
  • 1 site in 1 country
  • Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them

Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.

Who cannot take part

Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.

Criteria the registry did not label

  • Healthy Controls:
  • Healthy controls ages 3-50 years of age
  • Able to participate in MRI scan without sedation
  • Not currently pregnant
  • No significant psychiatric history, defined as having a severe psychiatric diagnosis, per PI discretion
  • No history of epilepsy
  • No history of stroke or cerebrovascular disease
  • May have occasional headaches if not taking a daily preventative medication for headaches
  • Not on vasodilatory medication, such as sildenafil or verapamil
    • Sickle Cell Anemia Participants:
  • Ages 3-50 years of age
  • Hb SS or SBeta-thal
  • Able to participate in MRI scan without sedation
  • Not currently pregnant
  • Not on vasodilatory medication, such as sildenafil or verapamil
    • Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Survivors:
  • Ages 3-50 years of age
  • History of cannulation for ECMO
  • Able to participate in MRI scan without sedation
  • Not currently pregnant
  • Not on vasodilatory medication, such as sildenafil or verapamil

Age in the registry: 3 years to 50 years · Sex: All · Accepts healthy volunteers

Full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov

Sites (1)

Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.

SiteCityCountrySite status
Washington University of St. Louis
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
St LouisUnited StatesRecruiting

This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.