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Recruiting NCT06857539

NCT06857539 Assessing Intellectual and Motor Outcomes in High-risk Infants

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Clinical Trial Summary
NCT ID NCT06857539
Status Recruiting
Phase
Sponsor University College Cork
Condition Cerebral Palsy
Study Type OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment 600 participants
Start Date 2025-03-21
Primary Completion 2030-07-31

Eligibility & Interventions

Sex All sexes
Min Age 0 Days
Max Age 4 Months
Study Type OBSERVATIONAL

Eligibility Fast-Check

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What to Expect as a Participant

This is an observational study. You will not receive an experimental treatment; researchers will collect data based on your existing condition or standard treatment.

This trial targets 600 participants in total. It began in 2025-03-21 with a primary completion date of 2030-07-31.

⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.

Brief Summary

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a condition when a baby has a brain injury that affects their movement and muscle tone. Some people with CP can have other developmental issues, like learning impairments, but many do not and have isolated issues with their motor skills. Some newborns are at higher risk of developing CP, including babies born prematurely, those who have an injury to their brain, and those who have an abnormal neurological examination. However, most babies with a higher risk of CP do not develop CP. The problem is that doctors can't tell early on who will and who will not develop CP, they can only say who has a risk of it. Therefore, these babies are followed up in out-patient clinics to see how they are progressing, usually by a neonatologist (baby doctor), often a physiotherapist, and some may also be referred to services in the community like the Early Intervention Team. If there is a significant concern, doctors will often perform a scan of the baby's brain to provide more information. Even with all this follow-up, it still usually takes at least 12 months, and can be up to 2 years, to diagnose a child as having CP. In this study the aim is to try and reduce the age of diagnosis of CP by assessing children in high-risk out-patient clinics using novel and specific examinations. We would also like to improve our ability to predict who will need help with learning, language or other non-motor outcomes. This study is being conducted at several hospitals in Ireland, including Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH), The Rotunda Hospital and the Coombe Women and Infants Hospital. It is being coordinated by the In4kids network and will be conducted in the INFANT Centre/ University College Cork (UCC). The study has been funded by Research Ireland and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, USA.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria (High Risk Group) : * Legal guardians must be able and willing to give written informed consent and to comply with the requirements of this study protocol. * All infants considered high risk for a diagnosis of cerebral palsy and neuro-developmental impairment will be eligible, specifically including: * All preterm infants born ≤32 weeks Post Menstrual Age or ≤1500 gm birth weight * All encephalopathic infants * Neurological risk factors (e.g., cerebral birth defect, injury/malformation on neuroimaging, persistently abnormal neurological exam) (Control Group) -A control arm will also be recruited. Exclusion Criteria: * Death prior to discharge from the neonatal unit (High-Risk Infants only) * No parental consent (High-Risk and Control Infants)

Contact & Investigator

Central Contact

Deirdre Murray Principal Investigator

✉ d.murray@ucc.ie

📞 +353 021 420 5082

Principal Investigator

Deirdre M Murray

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join the NCT06857539 clinical trial?

This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 0 Days or older, up to 4 Months, studying Cerebral Palsy. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.

Is NCT06857539 currently recruiting?

Yes, NCT06857539 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at d.murray@ucc.ie for enrollment information.

Where is the NCT06857539 trial being conducted?

This trial is being conducted at Cork, Ireland, Cork, Ireland, Dublin, Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.

Who is sponsoring the NCT06857539 clinical trial?

NCT06857539 is sponsored by University College Cork. The principal investigator is Deirdre M Murray at INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. The trial plans to enroll 600 participants.

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ClinicalMetric — Independent clinical trial intelligence platform. Not affiliated with NIH, ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. FDA, or any pharmaceutical company, hospital, or clinical research organization. Trial data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not make any treatment, enrollment, or health decisions based solely on information found here — always consult a qualified healthcare professional. Full Disclaimer  ·  Last Reviewed: April 2026  ·  Data Methodology