Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

NCT number NCT03990909
Other study ID # MIRB 4312
Secondary ID
Status Recruiting
Phase N/A
First received
Last updated
Start date March 1, 2019
Est. completion date August 1, 2025

Study information

Verified date April 2022
Source Portland VA Medical Center
Contact Miranda M Lim, MD, PhD
Phone 503-220-8262
Email lmir@ohsu.edu
Is FDA regulated No
Health authority
Study type Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Individuals will be recruited from the VA Portland Health Care System and the community affiliated with Oregon Health & Science University. Traumatic brain injury status will be assessed as a contributing factor. Subjects will be randomized to one of 3 groups (BCAA or one of 2 placebo conditions) and instructed to consume study product twice daily for 21 days. Self-report questionnaires, wrist actigraphy, pressure pain testing, and cognitive function will be assessed pre and post the experimental period.


Description:

The goal of this proposal is to explore the feasibility of, and potential for, dietary supplementation with branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) to effect sleep quality and cognitive function in Veterans. The BCAAs (Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine) cannot be synthesized endogenously (i.e., they must be obtained through the diet) and are the precursors to >50% of de novo glutamate and GABA synthesis in the brain, which are the primary excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, respectively. Preclinical evidence strongly suggests that dietary BCAA supplementation restores normal sleep-wake patterns and cognitive function following TBI through a restoration in the global cortical excitation:inhibition ratio. BCAA supplementation has been studied extensively in healthy humans and in a variety of disease states, including following TBI, but not yet in Veterans in the chronic phase of recovery from TBI. BCAAs are a commercially available dietary supplement and very well tolerated with minimal side-effects. Subjects will be randomized in a double-blind fashion through the VA Research Pharmacy to one of three groups: 1) BCAA; 60 g/day in two 30 g doses, 2) rice protein; 60 g/day in two 30 g doses, and 3) placebo; 60 g microcrystalline cellulose in two 30 g doses. BCAA and placebo will be prepared by the VA Research Pharmacy and dispensed in a blinded fashion to Veterans after demonstrating informed consent. Following a ~4-week period of baseline, Veterans will be instructed to consume study product after waking and ~6 hours later, on an empty stomach for a period of up to 21-days. Self-report questionnaires assessing sleep quality, cognitive function, trauma-related symptom severity, and other measures of mental and physical well-being will be administered before and after the experimental period. Wrist actigraphy will be continuously collected over the baseline and the experimental period. Cognitive function will be assessed before and after the experimental period using an established battery of neuropsychological tests (i.e., selected tests from WAIS, D-KEFS, HVLT, COWAT, among others. Pressure pain testing will be conducted before and after the experimental period.


Recruitment information / eligibility

Status Recruiting
Enrollment 300
Est. completion date August 1, 2025
Est. primary completion date August 1, 2024
Accepts healthy volunteers No
Gender All
Age group 18 Years to 89 Years
Eligibility Inclusion Criteria: - Veteran - English Speaking - Accessible via phone - Sleep problems Exclusion Criteria: - Decisional impairment - Nickel allergy - Maple syrup urine disease or family history of disease - Allergy to sucralose - Currently taking BCAAs

Study Design


Intervention

Dietary Supplement:
Branched Chain Amino Acids
60 grams of BCAA (2:1:1 ratio of Leucine:Isoleucine:Valine) consumed in two doses (30 grams each) mixed into 20 oz of water for up to21days (42 total drinks).
Rice Protein
60 grams of rice protein consumed in two doses (30 grams each) mixed into 20 oz of water for up to 21days (42 total drinks).
Microcrystalline Cellulose
60 grams of microcrystalline cellulose, consumed in two doses (30 grams each) mixed into 20 oz of water for up to 21days (42 total drinks).

Locations

Country Name City State
United States VA Portland Health Care System Portland Oregon

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor Collaborator
Portland VA Medical Center

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type Measure Description Time frame Safety issue
Primary Recruitment and retention rates Number enrolled per month, proportion who complete the protocol 5 weeks
Primary Rates of adherence and treatment fidelity Proportion of subjects consuming full doses 5 weeks
Primary Assessment process and patient acceptability Proportion of questionnaires properly completed, actiwatches properly worn, and patient acceptance of protocol 5 weeks
Secondary Change in Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) Measures self-reported insomnia severity; total score range = 0-28 (higher total score = worse insomnia) Baseline; after 3 weeks of intervention
See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Terminated NCT03052712 - Validation and Standardization of a Battery Evaluation of the Socio-emotional Functions in Various Neurological Pathologies N/A
Recruiting NCT05503316 - The Roll of Balance Confidence in Gait Rehabilitation in Persons With a Lesion of the Central Nervous System N/A
Completed NCT04356963 - Adjunct VR Pain Management in Acute Brain Injury N/A
Completed NCT03418129 - Neuromodulatory Treatments for Pain Management in TBI N/A
Terminated NCT03698747 - Myelin Imaging in Concussed High School Football Players
Recruiting NCT05130658 - Study to Improve Ambulation in Individuals With TBI Using Virtual Reality -Based Treadmill Training N/A
Recruiting NCT04560946 - Personalized, Augmented Cognitive Training (PACT) for Service Members and Veterans With a History of TBI N/A
Completed NCT05160194 - Gaining Real-Life Skills Over the Web N/A
Recruiting NCT02059941 - Managing Severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Without Intracranial Pressure Monitoring (ICP) Monitoring Guidelines N/A
Recruiting NCT03940443 - Differences in Mortality and Morbidity in Patients Suffering a Time-critical Condition Between GEMS and HEMS
Recruiting NCT03937947 - Traumatic Brain Injury Associated Radiological DVT Incidence and Significance Study
Completed NCT04465019 - Exoskeleton Rehabilitation on TBI
Recruiting NCT04530955 - Transitioning to a Valve-Gated Intrathecal Drug Delivery System (IDDS) N/A
Recruiting NCT03899532 - Remote Ischemic Conditioning in Traumatic Brain Injury N/A
Suspended NCT04244058 - Changes in Glutamatergic Neurotransmission of Severe TBI Patients Early Phase 1
Completed NCT03307070 - Adapted Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Depression in Patients With Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury N/A
Recruiting NCT04274777 - The Relationship Between Lipid Peroxidation Products From Traumatic Brain Injury and Secondary Coagulation Disorders
Withdrawn NCT05062148 - Fundamental and Applied Concussion Recovery Modality Research and Development: Applications for the Enhanced Recovery N/A
Withdrawn NCT04199130 - Cognitive Rehabilitation and Brain Activity of Attention-Control Impairment in TBI N/A
Withdrawn NCT03626727 - Evaluation of the Efficacy of Sodium Oxybate (Xyrem®) in Treatment of Post-traumatic Narcolepsy and Post-traumatic Hypersomnia Early Phase 1