Brain scans peer into how a sedative quiets pain during surgery
NCT ID NCT05500703
First seen Sep 10, 2026 · Last updated Sep 11, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers are studying how the drug dexmedetomidine relieves pain by scanning the brains of 28 epilepsy patients during radiofrequency ablation surgery. Half receive dexmedetomidine and half receive a saltwater placebo. Using intraoperative fMRI, the team compares brain activity and pain scores to identify which brain regions and networks dexmedetomidine engages for analgesia.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- dexmedetomidine, a sedative and pain-relieving drug
- What this could lead to
- If the brain mapping works, doctors could better understand how dexmedetomidine eases pain and use that knowledge to tailor pain treatment during brain surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small Phase 4 study of 28 people with epilepsy, so the brain patterns seen may not apply to other patients or surgeries. The imaging results are exploratory and may not translate into better pain control.
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 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
-
28 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Jan 2024
- Finished
-
Dec 2024
- 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
-
20 to 50 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.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Clinical diagnosis of epilepsy and eligible for radiofrequency ablation 2. 20-50 years old; 3. American Society of Anesthesiologists rated (ASA) I-II 4. body mass index (BMI)18.5\~27.9 kg·m2. Exclusion Criteria: 1. pre-existing neuropsychiatric disorders; 2. emergency surgery; 3. coma; 4. depression; 5. cognitive impairment; 6. implanted with metal devices.
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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
-
Xuanwu hospital
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100053, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can a Comfort-Focused education program improve life with epilepsy?
- Can video games rewire young brains after injury?
- High-Fat Diet's effect on epilepsy: scientists track brain signals
- Epilepsy drug candidate put to the test in healthy volunteers