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Mental FunctionPhase 2NCT05495945

Ultrasonic Deep Brain Stimulation During Anesthetic Sedation

A Phase 2 study testing Low-intensity focused ultrasound pulsation (LIFUP) and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) using Propofol in people with Mental Function, run by University of Michigan at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to see if mental functions take place during different levels of anesthesia. The researchers expect to gain a deeper understanding of mental function during different levels of anesthesia, and to evaluate if the use of ultrasonic brain stimulation accelerates return to consciousness. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 40 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Mental Function
What is being tested?
Low-intensity focused ultrasound pulsation (LIFUP) and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) using Propofol
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
13 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
26 Aug 2022to 7 Oct 2023
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 40 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • The participants will be right-handed adults
  • Body mass index (BMI) less than 30.
  • All subjects will be English speakers.

Who cannot join

  • Participants will be excluded if they have any medical contraindication to MRI scanning
  • Unable to undergo MRI scanning because of possible pregnancy or currently breastfeeding,
  • BMI>30
  • Metallic substances in the body, claustrophobia, anxiety, or cardiopulmonary disease;
  • Intracranial structural abnormality on T1-weighted MRI scans.
  • Potential subjects will be excluded if they have a history of allergy to propofol, eggs or egg products, soybean or soybean products,
Show all 11Show fewer
  • Neurological, cardiovascular, or pulmonary illness;
  • Head injury with loss of consciousness;
  • Learning disability or other developmental disorder; sleep apnea or any severe snoring history;
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or heartburn;
  • Pancreatitis or a history of pancreatitis, or sensory/motor loss sufficient to interfere with performance of the study. Participants with tattoos in the head or neck region will be excluded from study; other tattoos are subject to determination by investigators based on their assessment regarding participant safety. To eliminate aspiration risk subjects will also be excluded if they have had recent food or liquid intake (within 8 hours). Subjects will be excluded if they have a history of drug use, have a positive drug screen, are unwilling to abstain from alcohol for 24 hours prior to dosing, or have a current history of nicotine use. Women will be required to take a pregnancy test prior to participation to ensure a negative result. The pre-scan drug screen and pregnancy test will be paid for by the study.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of Michigan

    Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109

Other trials in United States

About this study

The purpose of this study is to see if mental functions take place during different levels of anesthesia. The researchers expect to gain a deeper understanding of mental function during different levels of anesthesia, and to evaluate if the use of ultrasonic brain stimulation accelerates return to consciousness.

Read the detailed description

The decision was made in 2023 to focus on the Central Thalmus arm only for this trial. Participants were only randomized to this arm.

Conditions
Mental Function
Being tested
Low-intensity focused ultrasound pulsation (LIFUP), Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) using Propofol
Keywords
Propofol, Anesthesia, Ultrasound, fMRI

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Low-intensity focused ultrasound pulsation (LIFUP)Device

    LIFUP will be used to stimulate specific brain regions and assess their causal involvement in the control of conscious state and contents.

  • Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) using PropofolCombination product

    Also called Diprivan

    Propofol will be administered by intravenous infusion. All anesthesia equipment, supplies, and drugs will be provided by anesthesiologists from the University of Michigan Health System. The researchers will manually control the infusion of propofol to achieve target effect-site concentrations

Study groups in NCT05495945
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)ExperimentalNot described
Receives: Device: Low-intensity focused ultrasound pulsation (LIFUP); Combination Product: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) using Propofol
Anterior insula cortex (AIC)ExperimentalNot described
Receives: Device: Low-intensity focused ultrasound pulsation (LIFUP); Combination Product: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) using Propofol
Central thalamus (CT)ExperimentalNot described
Receives: Device: Low-intensity focused ultrasound pulsation (LIFUP); Combination Product: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) using Propofol
Sham controlActive comparatorNot described
Receives: Combination Product: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) using Propofol

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) Response to Visual Stimuli

    BOLD signal was measured by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning of the brain in response to a visual stimuli. This method reflected changes in oxygenation of blood in the brain during a scene-processing task.

    Measured: Up to 90 minutes

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Perceptual Criterion Derived From the Signal Detection Theory (SDT)

    SDT was a means of measuring participants' ability to differentiate between information-bearing patterns and random patterns that distract from the information. Perceptual criterion measured a participant's tendency to say "yes" or "no" when the participant was unsure if a signal was present. Perceptual criterion was measured on a scale from -1.0 to 1.0, with a score of 0 indicating no bias towards "yes" or "no". Negative scores meant a bias towards "yes" (more likely to say a signal was present), while positive scores meant a bias towards "no" (more likely to say a signal was absent).

    Measured: Up to 90 minutes

  2. Sensitivity Derived From the Signal Detection Theory (SDT)

    SDT was a means of measuring participants' ability to differentiate between information-bearing patterns and random patterns that distract from the information. Sensitivity measured a participant's ability to differentiate between real and scrambled images on a scale from 0.0 to 1.0, with higher scores indicating better accuracy in detecting a signal when it was present and lower scores indicating more missed signals. A score of 1.0 was perfect sensitivity (i.e., never missing a real signal).

    Measured: Up to 90 minutes

  3. Grip Force

    Participants' grip force of hand squeezing on a rubber ball in response to instructions was measured.

    Measured: Up to 90 minutes

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted10 Aug 2022
  2. Study start26 Aug 2022
  3. Primary completion7 Oct 2023
  4. Study completion7 Oct 2023

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
13 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05495945
Sponsor's protocol ID
HUM00213014
Other IDs
2R01GM103894-10A1
Status last verified
Feb 2025
First submitted
8 Aug 2022
Last updated
12 Mar 2025
FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
Yes
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing Low-intensity focused ultrasound pulsation (LIFUP) and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) using Propofol in people with Mental Function, run by University of Michigan at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 11 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Mar 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 12 Mar 2025). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) Response to Visual Stimuli (time frame: Up to 90 minutes). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 12 Mar 2025.

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