White Matter Distortion and Dementia Biomarkers in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH)

Recruiting now

Conditions studied: Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

In brief

Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a progressive condition of the elderly that results in severe disability. iNPH can dramatically respond to Cerebral spinal fluid(CSF)-shunting where excess ventricular fluid is diverted from the brain. Not all patients with iNPH respond to CSF-shunting however. The reasons for this are uncertain. Aim 1: To understand if specific nerve pathways (white matter tracts) that are near ventricles are damaged in patients that respond to shunting as opposed to those that do not. Aim 2: Can we explain shunt non-responsiveness by screening for dementia like illnesses (neurodegeneration) using a large array of methods. Aim 3: To understand whether wearable activity and bed sleep monitors are palatable in a NPH population and to understand if these metrics relate to quality of life. Aim 4: To see whether self-administered digital cognitive assessments can measure improvements pre and post surgery.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07103681

Run by

Imperial College London

People needed

100

Starts

2025-03-25

Expected to finish

2029-02-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-03-27

Who can join

Age: 60 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Adult patients >60
• With gait apraxia
• With or without cognitive impairment
• Urinary dysfunction
• Communicating Hydrocephalus

You may not qualify if…

• Asymptomatic hydrocephalus
• High pressure-hydrocephalus
• Serious head injury within 5 years of presentation or a clear secondary cause (e.g. brain infection)
• History of childhood gait disturbance
• Clear alternative explanation for symptoms (e.g. Parkinson's disease with limb rigidity, peripheral neuropathy with sensory ataxia, cervical myelopathy).
• Too frail for shunt surgery
• Medically unstable (e.g. active angina, respiratory disease, recurrent delirium, active epilepsy).
• Unable to tolerate MRI brain imaging
• Unable to have a lumbar puncture
• Immobile
• Unable to attend the hospital for study visits
• Group 2 (asymptomatic and non-hydrocepahlus dementia and healthy controls):
• Inclusion Criteria (Any of the following):
• Healthy Carers
• Members of the Public
• Staff of Imperial College/ICHT
• Non-NPH Dementias (including Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia)
• Asymptomatic Hydrocephalus
• Exclusion Criteria:
• Unable to attend the hospital for study visits

Where it is running

• Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust — London, United Kingdom (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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