EpilepsyMCP-EpiNCT06898749
Impact of Canine Mediation Practice in Psychomotor Therapy on Improving the Quality of Life in Adult Epileptic Patients.
A study testing canine mediation and standard psychomotor therapy in people with Epilepsy, run by Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe de Rothschild at 2 sites in France.
Trial summary
In addition to the search for new pharmaceutical or surgical solutions that could improve the therapeutic management of epileptic individuals, it is interesting to ask whether other complementary approaches, such as canine mediation in psychomotor therapy, could enhance the quality of life in this population. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Epilepsy
- What is being tested?
- canine mediation and standard psychomotor therapy
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 76 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesFrance
- Study dates
- 14 Sep 2026to Mar 2030
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Person aged ≥ 18 years
- Presenting pharmacoresistant epilepsy according to the criteria of the International League Against Epilepsy
- Requiring psychomotor therapy sessions for one of the following indications:
- Difficult emotional and relational management And/or global motor difficulties And/or body schema organization disorder And/or temporo-spatial disorder
- Explicit consent or no opposition to participation in the study by the patient and/or their legal representative or guardian
- Image rights consented by the patient and their legal representative or guardian, if applicable
- Hospitalization or residence at the Teppe Institute or at the FAM (Foyer d'Accueil Médicalisé) des 4 Jardins planned for at least 3 months
- Affiliated with or a beneficiary of a social security scheme
Who cannot join
- Fear or phobia of dogs
- Epileptic person benefiting from a legal protection measure other than guardianship or curatorship
- Person with insufficient cognitive abilities to respond to the questionnaires
- Pregnant or breastfeeding woman
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
France2 sites, 2 recruiting
- Not yet recruiting
Fondation Partage et Vie - FAM Les Quatre Jardins
Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs, 38590
Mathilde CHALENDARD, 0475075959, mathilde.chalendard@teppe.org
- Recruiting
Institut La Teppe
Tain-l'Hermitage, 26600
Nicolas MEZOUAR, Dr, +33475075959, nicolas.mezouar@teppe.org
Institut La Teppe
About this study
In addition to the search for new pharmaceutical or surgical solutions that could improve the therapeutic management of epileptic individuals, it is interesting to ask whether other complementary approaches, such as canine mediation in psychomotor therapy, could enhance the quality of life in this population.
However, there is currently no evidence indicating that exposure to animals through mediation sessions would be beneficial for epileptic individuals, particularly regarding their quality of life, anxiety, emotional management, or cognition (such as social cognition). In the absence of current data in this population, it seems pertinent to study the impact of this practice on people with epilepsy. Furthermore, beyond quality of life, it would be valuable to examine whether it also influences anxiety or the frequency of seizures in individuals with epilepsy (a phenomenon reported for epileptic individuals living with a pet dog or a service dog). Canine mediation could help better manage and regulate the emotions of epileptic individuals, as well as improve their self-esteem.
- Conditions
- Epilepsy
- Being tested
- canine mediation, standard psychomotor therapy
- Medical subject headings
- Epilepsy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
canine mediationOther
Animal mediation consists of bringing an animal into contact with a specific audience to improve the mental or physical health of a person. The dog and beneficiaries interact through various activities, in which the animal participates, offered during the sessions. The dog plays a particularly important role as a mediator through the bonds it forms with the human, as well as a non-judgmental partner in interaction.
The canine educator will be accompanied by a healthcare professional during interventions. The sessions are organized based on the expertise and suggestions of both professions (canine educator and psychomotor therapist).
The canine educator will be a state-certified professional educator with a specialization in animal mediation.
The dog used is trained by the educator, with two types of learning being worked on: emotions and "commands" on cue.
standard psychomotor therapyOther
standard sessions of psychomotor therapy
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| canine mediation in psychomotor therapy | Experimental | Group psychomotor therapy sessions combined with canine mediation
(1 session per week for 10 weeks) Receives: Other: canine mediation |
| standard psychomotor therapy | Active comparator | Standard group psychomotor therapy sessions (1 session per week for 10 weeks) Receives: Other: standard psychomotor therapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Improvement of quality of life
Increase in the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31 (QOLIE-31) score of at least 5 points between inclusion and one week after the completion of the 10 sessions.
The score of the QOLIE-31 (Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31) ranges from 0 to 100. A score of 0 represents the worst possible quality of life, while a score of 100 represents the best possible quality of life.
Measured: Day 0 and Day 7 after the end of the 10 sessions
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 Mar 2025
- Study start14 Sep 2026
- Primary completionMar 2030 (estimated)
- Study completionMar 2030 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for EpilepsyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe de RothschildThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 76 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe de Rothschild
- Sponsor type
- Research network
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06898749
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- NMR_2024_8
- Acronym
- MCP-Epi
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 21 Mar 2025
- Last updated
- 6 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Impact of Canine Mediation Practice in Psychomotor Therapy on Improving the Quality of Life in Adult Epileptic Patients.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06898749
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MCP-Epi / NMR_2024_8
- Conditions
- Epilepsy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 76 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe de RothschildResearch network
- Study start
- 14 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Mar 2030 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Mar 2030 (estimated)
- First posted
- 27 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
In addition to the search for new pharmaceutical or surgical solutions that could improve the therapeutic management of epileptic individuals, it is interesting to ask whether other complementary approaches, such as canine mediation in psychomotor therapy, could enhance the quality of life in this population.
However, there is currently no evidence indicating that exposure to animals through mediation sessions would be beneficial for epileptic individuals, particularly regarding their quality of life, anxiety, emotional management, or cognition (such as social cognition). In the absence of current data in this population, it seems pertinent to study the impact of this practice on people with epilepsy. Furthermore, beyond quality of life, it would be valuable to examine whether it also influences anxiety or the frequency of seizures in individuals with epilepsy (a phenomenon reported for epileptic individuals living with a pet dog or a service dog). Canine mediation could help better manage and regulate the emotions of epileptic individuals, as well as improve their self-esteem.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| canine mediation in psychomotor therapy | Experimental | Other: canine mediationGroup psychomotor therapy sessions combined with canine mediation (1 session per week for 10 weeks) |
| standard psychomotor therapy | Active comparator | Other: standard psychomotor therapyStandard group psychomotor therapy sessions (1 session per week for 10 weeks) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Person aged ≥ 18 years
- Presenting pharmacoresistant epilepsy according to the criteria of the International League Against Epilepsy
- Requiring psychomotor therapy sessions for one of the following indications:
- Difficult emotional and relational management And/or global motor difficulties And/or body schema organization disorder And/or temporo-spatial disorder
- Explicit consent or no opposition to participation in the study by the patient and/or their legal representative or guardian
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Fear or phobia of dogs
- Epileptic person benefiting from a legal protection measure other than guardianship or curatorship
- Person with insufficient cognitive abilities to respond to the questionnaires
- Pregnant or breastfeeding woman
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| canine mediationAnimal mediation consists of bringing an animal into contact with a specific audience to improve the mental or physical health of a person. The dog and beneficiaries interact through various activities, in which the animal participates, offered during the sessions. The dog plays a particularly important role as a mediator through the bonds it forms with the human, as well as a non-judgmental partner in interaction. The canine educator will be accompanied by a healthcare professional during interventions. The sessions are organized based on the expertise and suggestions of both professions (canine educator and psychomotor therapist). The canine educator will be a state-certified professional educator with a specialization in animal mediation. The dog used is trained by the educator, with two types of learning being worked on: emotions and "commands" on cue. | Other | canine mediation in psychomotor therapy |
| standard psychomotor therapystandard sessions of psychomotor therapy | Other | standard psychomotor therapy |
Primary outcome
Improvement of quality of life
Time frame: Day 0 and Day 7 after the end of the 10 sessions
Increase in the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31 (QOLIE-31) score of at least 5 points between inclusion and one week after the completion of the 10 sessions. The score of the QOLIE-31 (Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31) ranges from 0 to 100. A score of 0 represents the worst possible quality of life, while a score of 100 represents the best possible quality of life.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Oct 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing canine mediation and standard psychomotor therapy in people with Epilepsy, run by Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe de Rothschild at 2 sites in France.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 8 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Amelie Yavchitz (+33148036454, ayavchitz@for.paris), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Improvement of quality of life (time frame: Day 0 and Day 7 after the end of the 10 sessions). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Oct 2026.