Multicenter ALS Imaging Study
This study is looking for people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and healthy volunteers to help researchers understand how ALS progresses. You would have Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans of your brain and cervical spine (neck) and blood tests to measure plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL), a marker of nerve damage. These tests would happen up to four times over a year. The goal is to find reliable ways to track ALS progression using these imaging and blood tests. To join, you need to be at least 18 years old, have had ALS symptoms for less than 36 months, and have a forced vital capacity (a measure of lung function) of at least 60%. You also need to be able to speak and read English and have no reasons that would prevent you from having an MRI.
- Study design
- This is an observational study with a planned enrollment of 90 participants. It involves comparing people with ALS to healthy controls.
- What's involved
- You would undergo MRI scans of your brain and cervical spine, and have blood drawn for NfL testing. These procedures would occur up to four times over a year.
- Compensation
- Not stated in the trial record.
- Follow-up
- Your progress will be monitored through imaging and blood tests for 12 months.
AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.
Multicenter ALS Imaging Study
At a glance
Conditions
NCT06735014
Where you'd take part
This study runs at 3 sites. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesotastudy coordinator listed
Recruiting
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinoisno site contact published
Recruiting
University of Florida
Gainesville, Floridano 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
- Pramod Pisharady, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · University of Minnesota
Who to contact
Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.
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Exclusion
What this trial measures
- Fiber DensityBaseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
This measure comes from the biophysical model used in brain imaging and is collected using MRI. It refers to the volume of the intra-axonal compartment per unit volume of the tissue. As this is a fraction it does not have a unit.
- Fiber Cross-SectionBaseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
This measure comes from the biophysical model used in brain imaging and is collected using MRI. It refers to the change it fiber cross-section at the fiber bundle level when undergoing spatial normalization. This measure does not have a unit.
- Orientation DispersionBaseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
This measure comes from the biophysical model used in brain imaging and is collected using MRI. Orientation dispersion is a measure of the uncertainty in the estimation of the fiber bundle orientation. It varies from 0 to 1 and does not have a unit. Higher values indicate greater uncertainty in estimation.
- Intracellular Volume FractionBaseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
This measure comes from the biophysical model used in brain imaging and is collected using MRI. It is the proportion of the imaging voxel occupied by intracellular compartments. This ratio varies from 0 to 1 and does not have a unit. Larger values indicate greater density of intracellular compartments.
- Free WaterBaseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
This measure comes from the biophysical model used in brain imaging and is collected using MRI. It represents the fractional volume of the free-water compartment. This is a ratio and it does not have a unit.
- Cortical ThicknessBaseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
This measure is collected using MRI. It is the thickness of the cortical gray matter and is measured in millimeters.
- Spinal Cord Cross-Sectional AreaBaseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
This measure is collected using MRI. It is the area of the spinal cord cross-section measured in millimeter square.
- Spinal Cord Corticospinal Tract (CST) Fractional Anisotropy (FA)Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
This measure is collected using MRI. It is a dimensionless scalar value between 0 and 1, indicating the degree of anisotropy (directionality) of water diffusion in the spinal cord's corticospinal tract. Higher values indicate higher anisotropy.