Brain scans could reveal which MS drugs fight mental exhaustion
NCT ID NCT04448977
First seen Aug 11, 2026 · Last updated Aug 12, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study investigates whether disease-modifying medications for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) can reduce cognitive fatigue—the tiredness that follows intense mental effort. Researchers will use functional MRI to measure brain activation in people starting either Ocrevus or Copaxone, comparing them to healthy volunteers. The goal is to identify a brain-based biomarker that tracks fatigue, which could help personalize MS treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) and Copaxone (glatiramer acetate)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to a brain-imaging biomarker that helps doctors choose MS treatments that better manage cognitive fatigue.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study (24 participants) that measures brain activity, not long-term outcomes. Results may not apply to all MS patients, and the medications may have side effects.
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
-
24 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
May 2021
- Finished
-
Oct 2025
- 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
Individuals who have Relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis and Healthy Volunteers
- Ages
-
18 to 64 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: * Age between 18-64. * Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis * Been newly prescribed a new disease modifying medication for MS (either Ocrevus or Copaxone) * or healthy volunteer who can speak English fluently. Exclusion Criteria: * History of head injury, stroke, seizures, or any other significant neurological event other than MS * Flare up of MS symptoms within the past month. * History of significant psychiatric illness (for example, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or psychosis) or a current diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder. * Pacemaker or other implanted electrical device, brain stimulator, aneurysm clip (metal clips on the wall of a large artery), metallic prostheses (including metal pins and rods, heart valves, and internal hearing aids \[cochlear implants\]), permanent eyeliner, implanted delivery pumps, or shrapnel fragments. * left handed. * Not able to have an MRI
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Kessler Foundation
West Orange, New Jersey, 07052, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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