Inside the hoarding brain: can scans reveal why letting go is so hard?

NCT ID NCT03487224

Ongoing Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Stanford University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Aug 13, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study uses brain scans to explore how people with hoarding disorder make decisions compared to healthy individuals. Participants will perform cognitive tasks while undergoing fMRI, which measures brain activity by tracking blood flow. The goal is to identify differences in brain regions involved in decision-making that may contribute to hoarding behaviors.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with cognitive tasks
What this could lead to: If successful, this could reveal how brain activity during decision-making differs in hoarding disorder, potentially guiding future treatments.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-stage brain imaging study, not a treatment trial. It may not capture the full complexity of hoarding disorder or lead directly to clinical changes.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Hoarding Disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HOARDING DISORDER

Contacts and locations

Locations

Stanford University

Stanford, California, 94305, United States

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