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Understanding Brain Activity in Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

This study is looking at how the brains of young women with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) respond to visual information. Researchers will use a "looming task" (looking at pictures during an fMRI scan) to see how a specific brain area, the periaqueductal gray region, activates. The goal is to understand how different parts of the brain communicate in people with POTS. You might be able to join if you are a female between 12 and 21 years old, speak English, and have a POTS diagnosis. Healthy individuals without POTS or other neurological conditions are also needed. The study aims to measure brain activation at 90 minutes. The current recruitment status is unclear, and 36 participants are planned.

Study design
This is an interventional study with 36 planned participants, including females aged 12-21 with POTS and healthy controls.
What's involved
You will be asked to look at pictures during an fMRI scan and press a button when an image appears. This will be measured at 90 minutes.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Brain activation is measured at 90 minutes after the looming task and at rest.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT05618054

Periaqueductal Gray-vagus Nerve Interface Malfunction Explain the Natural History With Its Numerous Co-morbidities?

Recruiting
NAAges 12–21InterventionalBasic science
Virginia Commonwealth University
~36 participants
Updated 2026-04-21 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Looming task

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Periaqueductal gray region activation - looming task
Measured over 90 minutes
+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

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Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

NCT05618054

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Virginia Commonwealth University

    Richmond, Virginiano site contact published

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Study leadership

  • Gisela Chelimsky, M.D. · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Virginia Commonwealth University

Who to contact

Gisela Chelimsky, M.D.
[email protected]
(804) 628-0145
Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Females 12-21 years old
Able to communicate and provide consent/assent
English speaking
Diagnosed with POTS (POTS will be defined standardly as a symptomatic ≥ 40 bpm rise in heart rate without a drop in blood pressure and with symptoms of orthostatic intolerance clinically)
Age-matched healthy control subjects: no POTS or other neurological disorders

Exclusion

Inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue or auto-immune disorder
Any chronic neurological disorder besides POTS
Evidence of unstable medical disorder, such as kidney (rising creatinine, or end-stage renal failure) or liver impairment (rising AST or ALT, or end-stage with coagulopathy), poorly controlled significant cardiovascular (CHF), respiratory, endocrine (diabetes - A1c \> 9 - or untreated thyroid dysfunction) or uncontrolled psychiatric illness (such as untreated depression, psychosis, etc.)
Neuropathy, central nervous system disorder (e.g., Cerebral palsy, developmental delay, seizure disorder, MS, stroke, etc.)
Treatment with a drug or medical device within the previous 30 days that has not received regulatory approval
Use of hormones (except insulin, thyroid replacement or oral contraceptives, which will be carefully documented)
Current substance or alcohol abuse
Any major surgical intervention with general anesthesia in the last 60 days and minor procedure, such as tooth extraction, endoscopy, etc., with local or conscious sedation within 7 days
Any on-going or pending medical, health or disability related litigation, or current pursuit of disability
Any condition that in the judgment of the investigator would interfere with the patient's ability to provide informed consent, comply with study instructions, place the patient at increased risk, or which would clearly confound the interpretation of the study results (specific reason will be documented)
Chronic use of narcotics for pain
Claustrophobia or any metal hardware that may interfere with MRI
Investigators and study staff

What this trial measures

  • Periaqueductal gray region activation - looming task90 minutes

    Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will be performed to measure activation of the periaqueductal gray region during the looming task

  • Periaqueductal gray region activation - resting90 minutes

    Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will be performed to measure activation of the periaqueductal gray region while at rest