PKU Carriers' brains under the microscope: does phenylalanine cause hidden effects?
NCT ID NCT07220265
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study examines how adults who carry the gene for phenylketonuria (PKU) but do not have the disease handle phenylalanine, a common amino acid. Researchers will give participants phenylalanine or a placebo and then use MRI scans and cognitive tests to measure brain activity, thinking skills, and blood levels. The goal is to understand if carriers experience subtle brain or cognitive changes after consuming phenylalanine.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Phenylalanine (Phe)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could reveal whether PKU carriers face hidden cognitive or brain changes after eating phenylalanine, guiding future health advice.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage observational study with only 36 participants. It looks at short-term effects, not long-term health outcomes, so results may not apply broadly.
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
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 36 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Dec 2025
- Expected to finish
-
Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- 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
-
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 18-60 years * For the PKU carrier group: Individuals who are the parent of an individual with PKU or who are otherwise have confirmed PKU carrier status (e.g., a sibling of someone with PKU who has had genetic testing done) * For the non-carrier group: Individuals who do not have PKU or a family history of PKU Exclusion Criteria: * Obesity as defined by a body mass index (BMI) over 30\* * Taking oral contraceptives on the day of testing session\* * Positive cotinine urine test showing nicotine use * History of major neurologic condition (e.g., multiple sclerosis, severe closed head injury, Parkinson's disease)) unrelated to PKU and known to adversely impact brain health and function * Contraindications for safe MRI participation such as (a) pregnancy or plans to become pregnant during period of study enrollment; or (b) metallic objects inside the body (e.g., surgical staples left in the body following surgery, middle ear prosthesis, metal foreign objects lodged inside the eye, heart pacemakers).
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Carrier of phenylketonuria are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of Missouri-Columbia
RECRUITINGColumbia, Missouri, 65201, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a protein powder with creatine and fiber boost everyday Well-Being?
- Green tech or hidden stress? bus Drivers' hearts monitored behind the wheel
- Shout it out: can growls and screams raise pain tolerance?
- Scientists probe why brain stimulation works for some and not others
- Tiny doses, big questions: how does the body handle this prodrug?
- First human test of CM583: can this biologic pass the safety check?