Brain MRI Longitudinal Volumetric Characteristics Associated With Outcomes of CASPR2-Limbic Encephalitis

Study Purpose

Anti-CASPR2 limbic encephalitis (CASPR2-LE) is a rare neurological disorder primarily affecting males over the age of 50. It is mediated by an autoimmune antibody response in the central nervous system (CNS) against the cellular adhesion molecule contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2). This protein plays an important role in the trafficking of KV1 channels under the myelin sheath in the juxtaparanodal region of myelinated axons. It is mostly present in the neurons of the limbic system, basal ganglia, and other motor related and sensation areas (Qin, Yang, Zhu, Wang, & Shan, 2021). This distribution explains the diverse clinical manifestations of the disease, primarily characterized by cognitive impairment. Other manifestations include cerebellar ataxia, hyperkinetic movement disorders (HMDs), seizures, and neuropathic pain, which all typically develop around 10.4 months after onset. At last visit, memory impairment is seen in 69% of the patients, cerebellar ataxia in 42% of the patients, and functional dependency in 25% of the patients. Even though most patients' symptoms improve with immune-active treatments, up to 69% of them have long-term memory impairments due to damage to hippocampal structures (Benoit et al., 2023). Research has primarily focused on understanding the disease's clinical features, underlying mechanisms, and potential treatment options. On the other hand, it is shown that MRIs performed at baseline show signal changes in the hippocampus in 62-71% of the patients, and these changes are subject to variations in subsequent follow-up scans, that differ widely among patients as mentioned before (Bien et al., 2017). And since the dynamics of hippocampal volume changes and its association with the development of hippocampal atrophy and long-term cognitive impairment are not well studied yet in CASPR2-LE, we primarily aim to examine the longitudinal changes of hippocampal volume in anti-CASPR2 Limbic Encephalitis (CASPR2-LE) patients to examine whether it correlates to the development of anterograde amnesia and hippocampal atrophy on follow-up.

Recruitment Criteria

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Healthy volunteers are participants who do not have a disease or condition, or related conditions or symptoms

No
Study Type

An interventional clinical study is where participants are assigned to receive one or more interventions (or no intervention) so that researchers can evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or health-related outcomes.


An observational clinical study is where participants identified as belonging to study groups are assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.


Searching Both is inclusive of interventional and observational studies.

Observational
Eligible Ages 18 Years and Over
Gender All
More Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • - Patients with a definite diagnosis of CASPR2-antibody-associated encephalitis.
  • - available MRI records.
  • - Ascertained positivity for CASPR2-antibodies in CSF.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • - Positivity for another antibody against neural or glial antigens.
  • - MRI images not available.
- Not enough clinical data to ascertain outcome

Trial Details

Trial ID:

This trial id was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, providing information on publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants with locations in all 50 States and in 196 countries.

NCT06245447
Phase

Phase 1: Studies that emphasize safety and how the drug is metabolized and excreted in humans.

Phase 2: Studies that gather preliminary data on effectiveness (whether the drug works in people who have a certain disease or condition) and additional safety data.

Phase 3: Studies that gather more information about safety and effectiveness by studying different populations and different dosages and by using the drug in combination with other drugs.

Phase 4: Studies occurring after FDA has approved a drug for marketing, efficacy, or optimal use.

Lead Sponsor

The sponsor is the organization or person who oversees the clinical study and is responsible for analyzing the study data.

Hospices Civils de Lyon
Principal Investigator

The person who is responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the entire clinical study.

N/A
Principal Investigator Affiliation N/A
Agency Class

Category of organization(s) involved as sponsor (and collaborator) supporting the trial.

Other
Overall Status Recruiting
Countries France
Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied.

Autoimmune Encephalitis Associated With Anti-CAPR2 Antibodies
Arms & Interventions

Arms

: CASPR2- Patients

: Patients affected by autoimmune encephalitis with antibodies against CASPR2

Interventions

Other: - Retrospective evaluation of specific brain MRI features

- Brain MRI changes in the acute stage, i.e. < 3 months from symptoms onset, including abnormal signal intensity, altered diffusion and/or contrast enhancement in the hippocampus (unilateral/bilateral), abnormal signal intensity in basal ganglia, insula, and/or perisylvian cortex, presence of global brain atrophy, presence of hippocampal atrophy and/or MTS, hippocampal volumetry - Brain MRI changes after acute phase resolution (> 6 months after symptoms onset) including abnormal signal intensity in the hippocampus (unilateral/bilateral), presence of global brain atrophy, presence of hippocampal atrophy and/or MTS, hippocampal volumetry

Contact a Trial Team

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International Sites

Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France

Status

Recruiting

Address

Hospices Civils de Lyon

Bron, , 69677

Site Contact

Bastien Joubert, professor

[email protected]

+334 78 86 15 53

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