Language Network Prehab with fMRI Neurofeedback before Glioma Surgery
Official title: fMRI Neurofeedback for Prehabilitation of the Language Network in Patients Undergoing Radical Glioma Surgery
Run by Yale University · NCT07488780 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether brief fMRI neurofeedback before glioma surgery can help shift language brain activity away from tumor-affected areas.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 4 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Yale University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (New Haven, Connecticut) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 1, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 2026 |
| Study ends | December 2026 |
| Registry record updated | September 29, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07488780 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults with WHO grade II-III gliomas involving eloquent language cortex who are scheduled for surgical resection and can undergo MRI and simple language tasks.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe baseline aphasia, MRI contraindications, or factors preventing study participation may not benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This interventional study uses fMRI neurofeedback during the presurgical window in patients with WHO grade II-III gliomas involving language areas to see if training can reconfigure language networks. It focuses on feasibility and acceptability of the device-based neurofeedback approach and collects exploratory data on how language networks and performance respond. Participants undergo baseline and post-intervention assessments including neuropsychological tests and task-based fMRI, serving as their own controls for exploratory analyses. The study does not delay standard care and all participants receive the same intervention to generate pilot data for a future randomized trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could improve language function or preserve language networks around gliomas by prehabilitating brain activity before surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in neurofeedback and presurgical mapping suggests potential for network modulation, though this specific approach is exploratory and feasibility-focused.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Provision of signed and dated informed consent form * Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study * Diagnosis of WHO grade II-III glioma involving eloquent language cortex * Scheduled for surgical resection * MRI-compatible * Ability to perform the simple language tasks required for fMRI and neurofeedback * Residence within 2 hours of Yale MRRC and ability and willingness to make multiple visits for study participation Exclusion Criteria: * Severe baseline aphasia precluding task performance * Contraindications to MRI * Significant cognitive/psychiatric comorbidity limiting compliance * Concurrent enrollment in other interventional trials * Claustrophobia of a degree that they cannot comfortably be scanned * Inability or unwillingness to understand or follow the instructions * Pregnancy or possible pregnancy
Where it's running
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Yale School of Medicine
New Haven, Connecticut, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Luca Pasquini, MD, PhD — Yale School of Medicin
- Study coordinator: Luca Pasquini, MD, PhD
- Email: luca.pasquini@yale.edu
- Phone: 203-688-2433
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.