CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT00894010Updated Mar 5, 2012

Photosensitivity Proof of Concept Trial

A Phase 2 interventional study of carbamazepine 400mg and levetiracetam 1000mg in Photosensitive Epilepsy, sponsored by The Epilepsy Study Consortium. Completed at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2012-03-05.

Sponsored by The Epilepsy Study Consortium · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
6
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 60 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether patients who usually have abnormal electrical EEG responses when shown flashing lights will show a reduction in abnormal electrical activity when they take a single dose of 2 marketed drugs (carbamazepine and levetiracetam). If so, a similar study in the future may be able to identify promising new drugs for epilepsy.

Patients who successfully complete the screening visit, will return 4 additional times and will receive either placebo (2 times) or a single oral dose of both carbamazepine 400mg and levetiracetam 1000mg in random order.

During each of the study days, several procedures and intermittent photosensitivity (IPS) assessments will be performed at 5 pre-determined times over the course of the day, one pre-dose and 4 post-dose.

02

Conditions studied

  • Photosensitive Epilepsy

Browse trials for

Keywords

  • Photosensitive epilepsy
  • Photosensitivity
  • Seizures
  • Epilepsy
03

In context

Epilepsy

1,805 studies on the registry are indexed under Epilepsy; 417 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 6 is below the median of 50 across 1,206 interventional studies indexed under Epilepsy.

Browse Epilepsy studies →

Lead sponsor

The Epilepsy Study Consortium is the lead sponsor of 2 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 60 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Male or female age 18-60 years.
  • A diagnosis and history of a photoparoxysmal response on EEG with or without a diagnosis of epilepsy for which patients are on 0-1 concomitant antiepileptic drugs.
  • A reproducible IPS-induced photo-paroxysmal response (PPR) on EEG of at least 3 points on a frequency assessment scale in at least one eye condition and no change of more than 3 frequencies in 2 repeated measurements recorded at screen in at least one eye condition.
  • Patients in otherwise good health (with the exception of epilepsy), as determined by the PI via the medical history, a physical examination and screening laboratory investigations.
  • A body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 35.
  • Able and willing to provide written informed consent to participate in the study in accordance with the ICH, GCP guidelines.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • A history of non epileptic seizures (e.g. metabolic, structural or pseudo-seizures).
  • Women who are pregnant or lactating.
  • Women of reproductive potential who do not agree to use effective birth-control methods.
  • Any clinically significant laboratory abnormality which, in the opinion of the investigator, will exclude the patient from the study.
  • An active CNS infection, demyelinating disease, degenerative neurological disease or any CNS disease deemed to be progressive during the course of the study that may confound the interpretation of the study results.
  • Any clinically significant psychiatric illness, psychological or behavioral problems which, in the opinion of the investigator, would interfere with the patient's ability to participate in the study.
  • Patients who have a history of seizure worsening in response to narrow spectrum drugs (including carbamazepine)
  • Patients who are suffering from clinically significant active liver disease, porphyria or with a family history of severe hepatic dysfunction indicated by abnormal liver function tests greater than 3 times the upper limit of normal (AST and ALT).
  • A history of alcoholism, drug abuse, or drug addiction within the past 12 months.
  • Patients who have participated in any other trials involving an investigational product or device within 30 days of screening or longer as required by local regulations.
  • Patients receiving more than 1 background AED for their epilepsy. Patients receiving carbamazepine for their condition.
  • Patients who are allergic to levetiracetam or carbamazepine.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Investigator)
Enrollment
6 participants (actual)

Interventions

  • Drugcarbamazepine 400mg

    Also known as: Tegretol

  • Druglevetiracetam 1000mg

    Also known as: Keppra

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Demonstrate the ability of carbamazepine to suppress or reduce the photosensitivity response in patients with photosensitive epilepsy. Compare the ability of carbamazepine to impact the PPR as compared with levetiracetam, which is known to suppress PPR.

    Time frame: At the completion of each cohort.

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • Johns Hopkins Hospital, Adult Epilepsy Center
    Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
  • NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center
    New York, New York 10016, United States
08

References and documents

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 5, 2012, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00894010
Lead sponsor
The Epilepsy Study Consortium
Collaborators
The Epilepsy Research Foundation, GlaxoSmithKline
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
May 6, 2009
Start date
May 2009
Primary completion
Jun 2011
Completion
Jun 2011
Last update
Mar 5, 2012

Study contacts

Jacqueline French, M.D.
principal investigator · NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2012. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion