Could a stroke pill boost brainpower in elderly epilepsy patients?
NCT ID NCT07193277
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether butylphthalide, a drug already used for stroke in China, can improve cognitive function in 220 elderly patients (ages 60-85) who have both focal epilepsy and mild cognitive impairment. Participants take the drug or a placebo for 48 weeks while continuing their usual seizure medication. The main goal is to see if thinking and memory scores improve, addressing a common problem that current epilepsy treatments don't help.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- butylphthalide (a neuroprotective drug currently approved in China for acute ischemic stroke)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a treatment for cognitive decline in elderly people with epilepsy, filling a gap where current epilepsy drugs only control seizures.
- What could go wrong
- This is a Phase 4 trial with 220 participants, so results are still uncertain. Butylphthalide is not yet approved for this use, and the cognitive benefits seen in other conditions may not apply here. Side effects are possible, though the drug is generally well-tolerated.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University
RECRUITINGWenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
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