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Brain scans peer into how a sedative quiets pain during surgery

NCT ID NCT05500703

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: China International Neuroscience Institution Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 10, 2026 · Last updated Sep 11, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers are studying how the drug dexmedetomidine relieves pain by scanning the brains of 28 epilepsy patients during radiofrequency ablation surgery. Half receive dexmedetomidine and half receive a saltwater placebo. Using intraoperative fMRI, the team compares brain activity and pain scores to identify which brain regions and networks dexmedetomidine engages for analgesia.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
dexmedetomidine, a sedative and pain-relieving drug
What this could lead to
If the brain mapping works, doctors could better understand how dexmedetomidine eases pain and use that knowledge to tailor pain treatment during brain surgery.
What could go wrong
This is a small Phase 4 study of 28 people with epilepsy, so the brain patterns seen may not apply to other patients or surgeries. The imaging results are exploratory and may not translate into better pain control.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 4

Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.

Participants

28 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jan 2024

Finished

Dec 2024

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

20 to 50 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Clinical diagnosis of epilepsy and eligible for radiofrequency ablation 2. 20-50 years old; 3. American Society of Anesthesiologists rated (ASA) I-II 4. body mass index (BMI)18.5\~27.9 kg·m2. Exclusion Criteria: 1. pre-existing neuropsychiatric disorders; 2. emergency surgery; 3. coma; 4. depression; 5. cognitive impairment; 6. implanted with metal devices.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

epilepsy

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Epilepsy Intracranial surgery Radiofrequency ablation

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Xuanwu hospital

    Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100053, China

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