Brain scans reveal clues to why some people suffer worse balance problems

NCT ID NCT07709143

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
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
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jul 16, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study investigates why some people with bilateral vestibular hypofunction—a chronic balance disorder—experience more severe symptoms than others. Researchers will use advanced brain imaging (MRI) and a battery of vestibular function tests in about 80 patients and 40 healthy volunteers. By linking brain structure, inflammation markers, and symptom reports, the study aims to uncover the mechanisms behind the condition and pave the way for more personalized care.

What this could mean

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

What this could lead to
If successful, this study could lead to better diagnostic tools and more personalized rehabilitation strategies for people with balance disorders.
What could go wrong
This is an observational study, not a treatment trial, so it will not directly test any new therapy. The findings may not apply to all patients with vestibular hypofunction.

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.

Participants

About 120 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Oct 2024

Expected to finish

Dec 2029

An estimate. End dates often move.

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.

Who is studied

The study population will consist of participants aged over 16 years, including patients diagnosed with bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH) and age-matched healthy controls. Patients with BVH will include individuals meeting the diagnostic criteria for bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) or presbyvestibulopathy (PVP). A total of 120 participants will be enrolled from five medical centers, including 80 BVH patients and 40 healthy controls. All participants must be able to understand the study procedures, comply with the protocol, communicate and cooperate with investigators, and provide written informed consent.

Ages

16 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

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. Sex unrestricted, age over 16 years old. 2. Patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) and presbyvestibulopathy (PVP) 3. Participants or their legal representatives, who comprehensively understand the research purpose, demonstrate sufficient compliance with the study protocol, have the ability to communicate and cooperate, and have signed the informed consent form. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Administration of medications potentially affecting cerebral function, including psychotropic drugs (antidepressants, anxiolytics) or prolonged anti-vertigo medication usage. 2. Presence of severe cardiovascular or systemic medical conditions, organ dysfunction, or significant mobility impairments. 3. Significant local or systemic diseases, or psychiatric disorders causing cognitive impairment, specifically schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder. 4. Pregnant or lactating women. 5. Participation in alternative pharmaceutical or medical device clinical trials within the preceding 3-month period. 6. Clinically significant head movement restrictions. 7. Subjects assessed by investigators as unsuitable for study participation. 8. Individuals with contraindications for MRI, including cardiac pacemakers, implanted electronic devices, claustrophobia, metallic implants incompatible with magnetic resonance imaging and medications potentially compromising MRI scan safety.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Bilateral vestibular hypofunction are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

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.

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital

    RECRUITING

    Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200233, China

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.