An observational study in Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency, sponsored by Andrea Gropman. Completed. Open to participants aged 7 Years to 60 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-03-08.
Sponsored by Andrea Gropman · Observational
The purpose of this study is to use various types of MRI and cognitive testing to evaluate changes in the brain and cognitive function that occur in subjects with ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD) relative to healthy individuals
The overall goal of this project is to characterize metabolic, structural and cognitive changes in OTCD using 1H MRS, DTI, volumetric averaging and fMRI with cognitive testing of executive function measures to validate biomarkers for the effect of HA and its treatment on the brain.
The investigators will measure gln and mI in blood and brain (using 1H MRS) in affected participants, and mI in brain in controls, fractional anisotropy as a measure of white matter microstructural damage (by DTI) and brain activation pathways alterations with tasks probing working memory (fMRI). As a secondary outcome measure, the investigators will correlate the findings from neuroimaging with cognitive functioning. This protocol is based on the previous 5104 protocol, now includes children to evaluate the age and stage of disease on these indices in a cohort that is undergoing important developmental events against an age matched typically developing cohort.
35 studies on the registry are indexed under Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase Deficiency Disease; 11 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 49 is below the median of 66 across 20 observational studies indexed under Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase Deficiency Disease.
Browse Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase Deficiency Disease studies →Andrea Gropman is the lead sponsor of 3 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Males and females, ages 7-60 years with ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency Males and females, ages 7-60 years who are healthy controls without ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency
Subject inclusion criteria:
Control participant inclusion criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Subject exclusion criteria:
Control exclusion criteria:
males and females ages 7-60 years with OTCD who are able to undergo MRI and cognitive testing MRI scanning 1H MRS, DTI, FMRI Cognitive testing Neuropsychological testing
Other: MRI scanning · Behavioral: Cognitive testing
males and females ages 7-60 years who are healthy controls who are able to undergo MRI and cognitive testing MRI scanning 1H MRS, DTI, FMRI Cognitive testing Neuropsychological testing
Other: MRI scanning · Behavioral: Cognitive testing
1H MRS, DTI, FMRI
Also known as: MRI
Behavioral testing
Concentration of Glutamine and Myoinositol
Concentration based on area under curve on 1H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy(MRS) and quantitated by LCModel (a method that allows automatic quantitation of spectroscopy data). A metabolite's tissue concentration is related to the integrated amplitude, the area under the curve of the MRS signal, it produces. While MRS signals are usually acquired in the time domain as free induction decays or echoes, they are usually viewed and analyzed in the frequency domain. The frequency domain representation is derived from the acquired time domain data by the Fourier Transform. The protocol we use selects 257 averages. The machine summates the data at each time point to generate one value for the area under the curve. Therefore, we don't have the measurement at each time point. Furthermore, we measured voxels in two different brain areas containing different kinds of brain matter: one voxel was located in posterior cingulate gray matter (PCGM) and the other in parietal white matter (PWM).
Time frame: Baseline
Functional Connectivity of Assessed by Resting-state fMRI
Investigation of differences in functional connectivity of OTCD patients compared to healthy controls, particularly in the default-mode network (DMN) and the set-maintenance network (SMN). Participants underwent a resting-state scan using 3T fMRI. Combining independent component analysis (ICA) and region-of-interest (ROI) analyses, identified the nodes that comprised each network in each group, and assessed internodal connectivity. For each subject, this analysis generated a correlation value, which reflected the strength of functional connectivity between each ROI pair.The correlation r-values were normalized using Fisher's r-to-Z-transform, generating z-scores. The DMN was composed of 1) anterior cingulate/medial prefrontal cortex (ACC/mPFC), 2) posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and 3) bilateral inferior parietal lobule (IPL). The SMN was composed of 1)ACC, 2) bilateral superior frontal gyrus (SFG), and 3) bilateral anterior insula/frontal operculum (aI/fO).
Time frame: Baseline
Fractional Anisotropy Assessed Using DTI
Fractional Anisotropy (FA) is a measure of the diffusion asymmetry within a voxel as defined by its eigenvalues. In our study, FA is being used as a measure of white matter integrity, because FA is very sensitive to small microstructural changes.Fractional anisotropy (FA) is a scalar value between zero and one (0-1) that describe anisotropy of a diffusion process. A value of zero means that diffusion is isotropic, i.e. it is unrestricted (or equally restricted) in all directions. A value of one means that diffusion occurs only along one axis and is fully restricted along all other directions.
Time frame: Baseline
Neuropsychological Assessment
Testing consisted of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI), Comprehensive Trail Making Test (CTMT) (range 17-87), and the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) (range GEC: 70-210; BRI:39-82 ; MI:41-92). The WASI includes three measures of intelligence; including, performance IQ (sum of block design and matrices sub scales; range: 40-160), verbal IQ (sum of vocabulary and similarities sub scales; range 40-160), and total IQ (sum of all four subscales; range: 80-320). The CTMT measures simple attention and executive function, it consists of five dot to dots that increase with complexity and difficulty. Higher values indicate better outcomes for all scales.
Time frame: Baseline
| Milestone | Subjects With OTCD | Healthy Controls |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 20 | 29 |
| Completed | 20 | 27 |
| Not completed | 0 | 2 |
| Withdrew: Physician decision | 0 | 2 |
Concentration based on area under curve on 1H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy(MRS) and quantitated by LCModel (a method that allows automatic quantitation of spectroscopy data). A metabolite's tissue concentration is related to the integrated amplitude, the area under the curve of the MRS signal, it produces. While MRS signals are usually acquired in the time domain as free induction decays or echoes, they are usually viewed and analyzed in the frequency domain. The frequency domain representation is derived from the acquired time domain data by the Fourier Transform. The protocol we use selects 257 averages. The machine summates the data at each time point to generate one value for the area under the curve. Therefore, we don't have the measurement at each time point. Furthermore, we measured voxels in two different brain areas containing different kinds of brain matter: one voxel was located in posterior cingulate gray matter (PCGM) and the other in parietal white matter (PWM).
| mM | Subjects With OTCD | Healthy Controls |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration of glutamine in PWM | 2.61 ± 1.07 | 1.66 ± 0.93 |
| Concentration of myoinositol in PWM | 2.23 ± 0.84 | 2.69 ± 0.48 |
| Concentration of glutamine in PCGM | 5.22 ± 1.70 | 3.62 ± 0.91 |
| Concentration of myoinositol in PCGM | 3.80 ± 0.80 | 4.37 ± 0.46 |
Investigation of differences in functional connectivity of OTCD patients compared to healthy controls, particularly in the default-mode network (DMN) and the set-maintenance network (SMN). Participants underwent a resting-state scan using 3T fMRI. Combining independent component analysis (ICA) and region-of-interest (ROI) analyses, identified the nodes that comprised each network in each group, and assessed internodal connectivity. For each subject, this analysis generated a correlation value, which reflected the strength of functional connectivity between each ROI pair.The correlation r-values were normalized using Fisher's r-to-Z-transform, generating z-scores. The DMN was composed of 1) anterior cingulate/medial prefrontal cortex (ACC/mPFC), 2) posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and 3) bilateral inferior parietal lobule (IPL). The SMN was composed of 1)ACC, 2) bilateral superior frontal gyrus (SFG), and 3) bilateral anterior insula/frontal operculum (aI/fO).
| z-scores | Subjects With OTCD | Healthy Controls |
|---|---|---|
| DMN: ACC/mPFC & left IPL connectivity | -0.86 ± 0.70 | 0.18 ± 0.30 |
| DMN: ACC/mPFC & PCC connectivity | -0.10 ± 0.70 | 0.12 ± 0.40 |
| DMN: ACC/mPFC & right IPL connectivity | -0.26 ± 0.53 | 0.07 ± 0.34 |
| DMN: PCC & left IPL connectivity | 0.69 ± 0.63 | 0.69 ± 0.31 |
| DMN: PCC & right IPL connectivity | 0.66 ± 0.42 | 0.64 ± 0.30 |
| DMN: left IPL & right IPL connectivity | 0.75 ± 0.69 | 0.70 ± 0.34 |
| SMN: ACC & left aI/fO connectivity | 0.19 ± 0.39 | 0.28 ± 0.41 |
| SMN: ACC & left SFG connectivity | 0.28 ± 0.35 | 0.44 ± 0.29 |
| SMN: ACC & right aI/fO connectivity | 0.21 ± 0.30 | 0.44 ± 0.29 |
| SMN: ACC & right SFG connectivity | 0.29 ± 0.37 | 0.59 ± 0.23 |
| SMN: left aI/fO & left SFG connectivity | 0.10 ± 0.35 | 0.22 ± 0.38 |
| SMN: left aI/fO & right aI/fO connectivity | 0.71 ± 0.43 | 0.80 ± 0.35 |
| SMN: left aI/fO & right SFG connectivity | 0.05 ± 0.33 | 0.11 ± 0.33 |
| SMN: left SFG & right SFG connectivity | 0.70 ± 0.43 | 0.68 ± 0.28 |
| SMN: right aI/fO & left SFG connectivity | 0.02 ± 0.22 | 0.25 ± 0.21 |
| SMN: right aI/fO & right SFG connectivity | 0.04 ± 0.26 | 0.27 ± 0.35 |
Fractional Anisotropy (FA) is a measure of the diffusion asymmetry within a voxel as defined by its eigenvalues. In our study, FA is being used as a measure of white matter integrity, because FA is very sensitive to small microstructural changes.Fractional anisotropy (FA) is a scalar value between zero and one (0-1) that describe anisotropy of a diffusion process. A value of zero means that diffusion is isotropic, i.e. it is unrestricted (or equally restricted) in all directions. A value of one means that diffusion occurs only along one axis and is fully restricted along all other directions.
| units on a scale | Subjects With OTCD | Healthy Controls |
|---|---|---|
| Fractional Anisotropy Assessed Using DTI | 0.25 ± 0.003 | 0.3 ± 0.008 |
Testing consisted of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI), Comprehensive Trail Making Test (CTMT) (range 17-87), and the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) (range GEC: 70-210; BRI:39-82 ; MI:41-92). The WASI includes three measures of intelligence; including, performance IQ (sum of block design and matrices sub scales; range: 40-160), verbal IQ (sum of vocabulary and similarities sub scales; range 40-160), and total IQ (sum of all four subscales; range: 80-320). The CTMT measures simple attention and executive function, it consists of five dot to dots that increase with complexity and difficulty. Higher values indicate better outcomes for all scales.
| units on a scale | Subjects With OTCD | Healthy Controls |
|---|---|---|
| WASI - Verbal IQ | 107.33 ± 14.52 | 107.77 ± 18.59 |
| WASI - Performance IQ | 98.5 ± 13.14 | 112.59 ± 14.54 |
| WASI - Full IQ | 103.28 ± 14.02 | 111.22 ± 16.89 |
| Trails - Composite | 48 ± 15 | 47 ± 12 |
| Brief - Behavioral Regulation Index (BRI) | 55.59 ± 9.49 | 46.73 ± 8.90 |
| Brief - Metacognition Index (MI) | 60.45 ± 11.75 | 47.38 ± 8.22 |
| Brief - Global Executive Composite Score (GEC) | 59.05 ± 10.37 | 46.88 ± 7.67 |
Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.
| Group | Deaths | Serious | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subjects With OTCD | — | 0/20 (0%) | 0/20 (0%) |
| Healthy Controls | — | 0/29 (0%) | 0/29 (0%) |
| Age, Continuous(years) | Subjects With OTCD | Healthy Controls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | 30.3 ± 19.4 | 25.8 ± 14.6 | 28.05 ± 17.02 |
| Sex: Female, Male(Participants) | Subjects With OTCD | Healthy Controls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 17 | 19 | 36 |
| Male | 3 | 8 | 11 |
No study locations are listed for this record.
Plan to share: Yes — Final data is on the UCDC website
This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions 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.
Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase Deficiency Disease→
Andrea Gropman