Blood Brain Barrier Dysfunction in Glioma and Epileptogenesis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Blood Brain Barrier Dysfunction in Glioma and Epileptogenesis
IRAS ID
336478
Contact name
Matthias Koepp
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2025/02/69, UCL Data Protection Registration Number
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 1 months, 30 days
Research summary
Gliomas are the most common and deadliest primary brain tumours in children and adults. Most people with a glioma also suffer from epilepsy, that can be difficult to treat. Several studies have demonstrated that gliomas and epilepsy share disease pathways and that inflammation in the brain plays an important role in both conditions. Moreover, studies have demonstrated that electrical activity caused by seizures may help the tumour to grow faster and invade brain networks.
In this study, we plan to use recently-developed brain imaging techniques to identify leaking of the blood brain barrier, which is a marker for inflammation in the brain. A leaky blood brain barrier has been seen in both, epilepsy and brain tumours.
We will explore:
1. Whether blood brain barrier leakage may explain why most people with a primary brain tumour also suffer from epilepsy; and
2. Whether blood brain barrier leakage leads to epilepsy by changing the structure of the brain.
3. Whether the amount of blood brain barrier leakage on the scan indicates the subtype and severity grade of the tumour and could be used as a diagnostic tool for brain tumours.To answer these questions, we will study people with glioma and tumour-related epilepsy, as well as people who do not have epilepsy or glioma as a control group. First, we will compare people with glioma and controls to characterize the amount of inflammation in the brain in those with glioma. We will then compare people with glioma with and without epilepsy, to see how different the amount of inflammation is in those with epilepsy. We will use a new brain imaging technique, which measures leaking across the blood brain barrier.
We will also compare findings from this new imaging technique to findings from clinical MRI with contrast dye to determine if the new imaging technique is perhaps better at picking up subtle leaking of the blood brain barrier.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/NW/0287
Date of REC Opinion
16 Dec 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion