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Deep Brain Stimulation Effects in Patients With Chronic Refractory Obesity

Pilot Study to Evaluate Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the Lateral Hypothalamic Area (LHA) on Energy Balance and Feeding Behavior in Patients With Chronic Refractory Obesity

Status
Withdrawn
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04453020
Enrollment
0
Registered
2020-07-01
Start date
2022-02-07
Completion date
2024-11-01
Last updated
2025-01-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Obesity

Keywords

Deep Brain Stimulation, Lateral Hypothalamic Area, Feeding Behaviors, Energy Balance

Brief summary

This is a pilot study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) as a treatment for chronic refractory obesity. This study will include 6 individuals with chronic refractory obesity, that have failed other treatments including gastric bypass surgery.

Detailed description

Six (N = 6) subjects with chronic refractory obesity will receive bilateral DBS implants in the LHA using the Boston Scientific Vercise Gevia DBS system. The primary objective is to evaluate the safety of DBS of the LHA using the current-driven Boston Scientific device and compare that to the safety data for our previous pilot using the voltage-driven DBS system for the treatment of chronic refractory obesity. The primary efficacy objective is to determine if DBS of the LHA can affect energy balance (i.e. energy intake and/or energy expenditure) in these patients. Secondary outcomes include quality of life outcomes and changes in feeding behaviors. Study participants will undergo a two-part DBS implantation procedure for placement of DBS electrodes in the LHA. Following this procedure, subjects with complete resting metabolic rate (RMR) testing to determine the optimal settings for the LHA stimulation. If effective, DBS technology might offer severely obese adults (BMI of ≥50 kg/m2), who have failed traditional therapy, a non-destructive, adaptable, reversible neurosurgical option for altering eating habits leading to sustained weight loss in the long-term.

Interventions

DEVICEDBS of the LHA

Deep Brain Stimulation of the Lateral Hypothalamic Area

Sponsors

Boston Scientific Corporation
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
donald whiting
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
22 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Male and female patients age ≥ 22 years and \< 65 years old with a BMI of ≥ 40 kg/m2. 2. Failure of bariatric surgery (gastric bypass) and subjects who have no endoscopically or surgically correctable causes for failed bariatric surgery. Failed bariatric surgery is determined using the modified Reinhold classification as patients who are currently more than 50% over ideal body weight at least 24 months after a technically successful surgery (as confirmed by a esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) within the 6 months prior to ICF). 3. Stable at their present weight (+/- 3 kg) for a 12-month period. 4. Neuropsychiatric evaluation must not reveal any issues that will be an impediment to subject's participation (as listed in

Exclusion criteria

2, 3 and 4). 5. Karnofsky Performance Score \>60. 6. Platelet count \>125,000 per cubic mm. 7. Prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) within normal limits.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Safety - Complication Rates12 monthsAdverse Events

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Energy intake2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryAssessment of energy intake through ad libitum test meals
Impact of weight on quality of life: IWQOL-LiteBaseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryImpact of Weight on Quality of Life Questionnaire (IWQOL-Lite). \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 31 items by which the subject will respond to statements under 5 domains. Responses include: Always true, Usually true, Sometimes true, Rarely true, and Never true. All responses are totaled for a final score. Scores range from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the best quality of life.
Binge Eating Scale (BES)Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryEating Habits Checklist/Binge Eating Scale (BES). \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 16 items that subjects will respond to. Each question has 3-4 separate responses assigned a numerical value. The score range is from 0-46. Higher scores equate to greater binging behavior.
Yale Food Addiction ScaleBaseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryYale Food Addiction Scale. \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 25 self-reported questions in dichotomous and Likert-type format. Food addiction is recognized when a subject meets at least three of the symptom criteria. The more symptoms met, the more severe the food addiction.
Power of Food ScaleBaseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryPower of Food Scale. \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 21 items that subjects will assign a response to. The scale is as follows: 1=I don't agree at all, 2=I agree a little, 3=I agree somewhat, 4=I agree, 5=I strongly agree. All items are scored so that a higher item score indicates a greater responsiveness to the food environment.
Eating inventoryBaseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryEating Inventory (EI). \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 51 items consisting of three subscales. Scores range from a minimum of 0-0-0 to a maximum of 21-16-14. Higher scores are indicative of a greater level of the eating habits for the respective subscales.
Body shape perceptionBaseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryBody Shape Questionnaire (BSQ). \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 34 items that subjects will assign a response to. The scale is as follows: 1=Never, 2=Rarely, 3=Sometimes, 4=Often, 5=Very Often, 6=Always. The maximum score is 204, and a higher score indicates more dissatisfaction and discomfort with the body experience.
Food craving inventoryBaseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryFood Craving Inventory. \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. For each of the foods listed (37), subjects will rate the frequency of cravings. The scale is as follows: A=Never, B=Rarely (once or twice), C=Sometimes, D=Often, E=Always/almost every day. Cravings are measured for five types of foods. A total score is also obtained that measures the general construct of food cravings. Higher scores are indicative of more intense cravings.
Resting metabolic rate (RMR)Baseline, 2 months, 4-5 months and 20 months post-surgeryRMR assessment of energy expenditure
Delayed reward discountingBaseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryMonetary Choice Questionnaire. \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. There are 21 items that subjects will indicate a response. The scale is as follows: 0=smaller reward today, 1=larger reward in the specified number of days. The questionnaire is scored by calculating where the respondent's answers place them amid reference discounting curves, where placement amid steeper curves indicates higher levels of impulsivity.
Appetitive sensationsBaseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryVisual analog scale (VAS) assessment. \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. Subjects will rank appetitive sensations on a scale from 0-10.
Quality of life measure: SF-36Baseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryShort Form-36 (SF-36). Subjects will rate responses to each of 36 items, (Likert and yes/no responses). Scores for each scale range from 0-100. The lower the score the more disability.
Depression scoreBaseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryBeck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). There are 21 items where subjects will rate their responses on a Likert scale from 0-3. Total scores range from 0-63. Higher total scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms.
Changes in metabolic hormone profiles2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryBiochemical battery of tests. Blood draw for GLP1, PYY, Ghrelin (total and active) - Fasting
Body mass indexBaseline, 2 weeks, 2 months, 4-5 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, 20 months and 24 months post-surgeryBody Mass Index (BMI)
Change in DXA body composition2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryChange in body composition. Measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan
Food preferencesBaseline, 2 months and 4-5 months post-surgeryFood Preference Questionnaire. \[Feeding behavior assessment\]. Subjects rate their liking of 62 individual foods on a 5-point Likert scale. The scale is as follows: 1=Dislike a lot, 2=Dislike a little, 3=Neither like nor dislike, 4=Like a little, 5=Like a lot. Higher scores indicate a higher preference.

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026