Pharmacological Modulation of Brain Oscillations in Memory Processing

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · Oct 20, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is investigating how a medication called scopolamine affects brain activity related to memory in patients with epilepsy. The study aims to find out if scopolamine can change how memories are formed and recalled. To do this, researchers will work with patients who are already having surgery to monitor their seizures. Participants will take either the drug or a saltwater solution (which has no active ingredients) without knowing which one they received. They will then complete tasks that test their memory while researchers measure changes in their brain activity.

To be eligible for this study, participants must be between 18 and 55 years old, have epilepsy, and be in good overall health. They should be able to provide informed consent and meet certain health criteria. During the trial, participants can expect to undergo two sessions where they will perform memory tasks after receiving either scopolamine or the saline solution. This research is important because understanding how scopolamine affects memory could lead to better treatments for people with cognitive impairments related to epilepsy and other conditions.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Patient inclusion criteria:
• • 1. Age 18 - 55 years, all races/ethnicities, and both genders are eligible.
• • 2. Candidates for pre-operative evaluation using stereo intracranial electrodes and admission to the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) as determined independently by the patient's treating physician as part of the patient's routine medical care.
• • 3. Able to read, understand, and provide written, dated informed consent prior to screening.
• • 4. In good general health, aside from a history of epilepsy, as ascertained by medical history, physical examination (PE), clinical laboratory evaluations, and ECG.
• • 5. Body mass index between 18-35 kg/m2.
• Patient exclusion criteria:
• • 1. Has a clinically significant abnormality on the screening physical examination that might affect safety, study participation, or confound interpretation of study results according to the study physician.
• • 2. Female that is pregnant, breastfeeding, or has a positive pregnancy test at screening or baseline. Note that pregnant patients are excluded from undergoing iEEG generally and all patients undergo a positive screening urine test for drugs of abuse at screening: cannabinoids, cocaine, amphetamines, barbiturates, opiates not otherwise explained by their prescribed medications.
• • 3. History of renal insufficiency.
• • 4. Unstable cardiac syndrome or active cardiac symptoms.
• • 5. Patients with liver failure.
• • 6. Patients with BPH.
• • 7. Patients with autoimmune neuropathy.
• • 8. Patients with uncontrolled hyperthyroidism.
• • 9. Patients with a history of dementia.
• • 10. Patient with a history of delirium after using transdermal scopolamine.
• • 11. History of narrow-angle glaucoma.
• • 12. History of pyloric obstruction or paralytic ileus.
• • 13. History of myasthenia gravis, obstructive uropathy, porphyria, or myasthenia gravis.