Brain scans reveal clues to MS fatigue
NCT ID NCT04144257
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This completed study at Brigham and Women's Hospital used special PET scans to look at brain inflammation and chemical activity in 10 people with multiple sclerosis. The goal was to understand what causes the severe fatigue many MS patients experience. Researchers measured brain cell activity and chemical binding, then compared it to fatigue levels reported by participants.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- PET radiopharmaceuticals ([F-18]PBR06 and [C-11]MRB)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help explain why some people with MS feel severe fatigue, potentially pointing toward new treatments.
- What could go wrong
- This was a very small study (10 people) that only looked at brain images, not treatments. The findings may not apply to everyone with MS.
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 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
-
10 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Mar 2020
- Finished
-
Apr 2021
- 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
-
18 to 60 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 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: * Subjects meeting the definition for RRMS or SPMS by International Panel (2017 McDonald) Criteria. * We will recruit patients with RRMS, recently diagnosed in the last 2 years. There will be no disease modifying therapy restrictions for RRMS or SPMS patients. * Male and female subjects age 18 to 60 years. * Patients able to withhold medication that may interfere with C-11\[MRB\] radiotracer uptake for 24 hours before the scan. Exclusion Criteria: * Relapse/Corticosteroid treatment in the past 4 weeks to avoid transient effects on imaging * Individuals with a known alternate neurologic disorder, previous head injury, or substance abuse. * Individuals with bipolar disease and schizophrenia * Concurrent medical conditions that contraindicate study procedures. * Women who are pregnant or nursing. Also, any woman who is seeking to become pregnant or suspects she is pregnant will be excluded from enrollment. * Claustrophobia * Non-MRI compatible implanted devices * Low affinity binders
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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
-
Brigham MS Center, 60 Fenwood Road
Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- One-Time CAR-T infusion tested against progressive MS
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