Special oil may curb paralytic attacks in rare childhood disease

NCT ID NCT02408354

First seen Dec 16, 2025 · Last updated Jun 22, 2026 · Updated 17 times

Summary

This pilot study tested whether triheptanoin oil, a special fat taken by mouth, can reduce the number of sudden paralytic attacks in children with Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC), a rare genetic disorder. Ten participants aged 15 and older with confirmed ATP1A3 mutations were given either triheptanoin or a placebo in a crossover design. The main goal was to count neurological attacks recorded in patient diaries over 28 weeks.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for ALTERNATING HEMIPLEGIA OF CHILDHOOD are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Groupe hospitalier Pitié Salpêtrière

    Paris, 75013, France

What this could mean

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

Active substance

triheptanoin oil (a special fat taken by mouth)

What this could lead to

If it works, this could point toward a treatment to reduce the frequency and severity of paralytic episodes in children with Alternating Hemiplegia.

What could go wrong

This is a very small pilot study with only 10 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The treatment may not reduce attacks or could cause side effects like stomach upset.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

alternating hemiplegia of childhood

As listed by the trial registrant

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