Brain shunt surgery put to the test in Placebo-Controlled trial

NCT ID NCT05081128

Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: Johns Hopkins University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether a brain shunt—a device that drains extra fluid—can improve walking and thinking in older adults with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). One hundred participants will either receive an active shunt or a placebo procedure. The main goal is to see if the active shunt improves gait speed after three months.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: programmable CSF shunt valve (brain shunt surgery)
What this could lead to: If successful, this trial could confirm that shunt surgery effectively improves walking and thinking in people with normal pressure hydrocephalus.
What could go wrong: This is a relatively small, early-stage trial with 100 participants, and results may not apply to all patients. Shunt surgery carries risks like infection or over-drainage of fluid.

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

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for IDIOPATHIC NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

normal pressure hydrocephalus

As listed by the trial registrant

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

IDIOPATHIC NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS (INPH)

Contacts and locations

Locations

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States
Indiana University

Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States
Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland, 21287, United States
Mayo Clinic

Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States
Mount Sinai Health System

New York, New York, 10029, United States
New York University Langone Health

New York, New York, 10016, United States
Oregon Health & Science University

Portland, Oregon, 97239, United States
Pacific Neuroscience Institute

Santa Monica, California, 90404, United States
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, 75390-8855, United States
Umeå University

Umeå, 901 87, Sweden
University of British Columbia

Vancouver, Canada
University of Calgary

Calgary, Alberta, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
University of California, Davis

Davis, California, 95616, United States
University of South Florida

Tampa, Florida, 33612, United States
University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California, 90089, United States
University of Washington

Seattle, Washington, 98195, United States
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157-1029, United States

More trials for these conditions

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