Cure My Disease

Don't miss your cure!

 Log in / Sign up

Can an old epilepsy drug shield the brain from PSP?

NCT ID NCT00385710

Disease control Sponsor: Nantes University Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 14, 2026 · Last updated Sep 15, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare brain disease that steadily damages movement, balance, and thinking. Researchers are testing valproic acid, a drug already used for epilepsy and mood disorders, to see if it can protect brain cells by blocking an enzyme involved in tau protein clumps. The trial enrolls 28 adults aged 45 to 75 with possible or probable PSP. Half receive valproic acid and half receive a placebo, and researchers track changes in a PSP rating scale and neuropsychological tests.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
valproic acid, a drug already used for epilepsy and mood disorders
What this could lead to
If it works, valproic acid could become the first treatment that slows the damage of progressive supranuclear palsy, a disease with no effective therapy.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage trial with only 28 participants, so any hint of benefit may not hold up in larger studies. Valproic acid can cause side effects like drowsiness, tremor, and liver problems.

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 2

Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.

Participants

28 people

The number who actually took part.

Start date

Nov 2006

Finished

Jul 2010

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

45 to 75 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: * Patients with possible or probable PSP * from 45 to 75 year of age

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Progressive supranuclear palsy are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

progressive supranuclear palsy

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Progressive supranuclear palsy

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Service de Neurologie A, Hôpital Gabriel Montpied-BP

    Clermont-Ferrand, 63009, France

  • Service de Neurologie et Pathologie du mouvement Hôpital Roger Salingro, CHRU de Lille

    Lille, 59000, France

  • Service de Neurologie, CHU Nantes

    Nantes, 44093, France

  • Service de Neurologie, CHU Poitiers

    Poitiers, 86021, France

More trials for these conditions

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