A Noval Tau Tracer in Young Onset Dementia
Alzheimer's DiseaseVascular Dementia1 moreDementia is a clinical syndrome which characterized by progressive cognitive impairment, behavior disturbance and dysfunction of daily activity. In aging population, Alzheimer's dementia (AD) is the most common late onset dementia which occupied about 50-75%, the vascular dementia, frontotemporal lobardegeneration (FTLD) and corticobasal syndrome is followed. On the other hand, the young onset dementia (YOD), which represents the onset of dementia before65 years old, is only about 1/10 to 1/100 proportion of late onset dementia. The YOD is different from late onset dementia in the proportion of degenerative subtype (e.g. the FTLD is more frequent than AD). Besides, frequent atypical presentation of clinical syndrome in the YOD which characterize the different variant of AD made the early accurate diagnosis of AD is more difficult. Currently, there is no available data to describe the proportion of subtype in YOD in Taiwan. In AD dementia, two important biomarkers are amylod plaque made by ß-amyloid protein and neurofibrillary tangle made by phosphorylation tau protein. In the past, they only can be seen under the microscope findings at autopsy study. Recently, the new amyloid tracer and tau tracer had been developed and could evaluate the deposition of amyloid and tau protein in human brain. These progresses had substantially improved the accurate diagnosis of degenerative dementia. A noval tau tracer [ 18F]PM-PBB3, which had substantially improved the off-target binding and more clear background in human brain than previous tau tracer. In current project, investigator will aim to consecutive collect 50 YOD due to the neurodegeneration in 3 years using the NIA-AA research framework system(ATN system) to achieve accurate diagnosis of the dementia subtype by the detail clinical neurology study, neuropsychological examination, amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) and tau PET study. In the first year, investigator will perform feasibility study to explore the topographical tau distribution in different subtype of YOD. In the next 2 years, investigator will perform a large scale study in a group of YOD to understand the amyloid and tau deposition and their association with clinical parameters. From current project, investigator could understand the tau deposition in different YOD subtype. Investigator also could understand the correlation between clinical phenotype and molecular pathology. Investigator will use a mathematic model to construct the model of diffusion kurtosis imaging from brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and relate the white matter integrity with amyloid and tau PET imaging.
Falls: A Marker of Preclinical AD
FallAlzheimer DiseaseThis longitudinal cohort study investigates cognitively normal participants with and without preclinical Alzheimer disease (AD) in order to examine: (1) the relationship between falls and functional mobility in preclinical stages of AD; and (2) a hypothesized model of central and peripheral mechanism(s) underlying falls and functional mobility in preclinical stages of AD.
ALFAsleep: Exploring Cognitive and Biological Correlates of Sleep Quality and Their Potential Links...
Cognitively UnimpaiedThe main goal of this study is to perform a multimodal characterization of brain structural and functional changes, as well as changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers, as a function of sleep quality measures. Cross-sectional data will enable us to confirm and expand previous knowledge in a large and well-phenotyped population, while longitudinal data will allow us to test the hypothesis of the existence of a bidirectional relationship between sleep quality and AD.
MK0952 in Patients With Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease (0952-004)(COMPLETED)
Alzheimer's DiseaseMK0952 is a phosphodiesterase type IV (PDE4) inhibitor in development for improvement of cognitive impairment in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.
Brain Outcomes With Lifestyle Change in Down Syndrome
Down SyndromeAlzheimer Disease1 moreThe goal of this study is to determine if weight loss or changes can help prevent of delay adults with Down syndrome from developing Alzheimer's Disease Adults with Down syndrome without dementia will be randomized to either a weight loss group or a general health education control group. The weight loss group will be asked to follow a reduced energy diet, attend monthly education sessions delivered remotely and self-monitor diet and body weight using commercially available web-based applications. The control group will be asked to attend remotely delivered monthly education sessions on general health education topics. All participants will come to the University of Kansas Medical Center, 3 times across 12 months for a blood draw, cognitive testing, a MRI, assessment of height and weight, and assessment of diet intake.
Feasibility Study of Game Technology in the Early Diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's...
Dementia AlzheimersThis study will test G:DATA, a simple computer game designed to diagnose Alzheimer's Disease, in three different groups of people, some of whom have Alzheimer's Disease. It will look at whether the results of G:DATA match the results of tests that are used to diagnose people with Alzheimer's Disease now. The Investigators will also ask patients and healthcare staff for participant views on the G:DATA game.
Development of an EEG Diagnostic for Alzheimer's Disease
Mild Cognitive ImpairmentAlzheimer Disease2 moreThe purpose of this research is to collect and compare electroencephalogram data from all stages of Alzheimer's disease from preclinical through severe dementia.
A Lexico-semantic Program on Tactile Tablet for Patients With Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer DiseaseLexical semantic disorders are described in Alzheimer's disease, and their incidence in everyday life is important to the extent that these disorders affect expression and comprehension. Providing a tactile tablet stimulation, independent and complementary to speech therapy, could help to maintain certain abilities and reinforce the feeling of autonomy of the patients.
Modafinil Treatment for Sleep/Wake Disturbances in Older Adults
InsomniaSleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders1 moreModafinil, trade named Provigil, is a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome, and shift work sleep disorder. Each of these problems is characterized by difficulty sleeping at night and excessive daytime sleepiness. Modafinil is prescribed during the day to counteract this sleepiness. The idea behind this treatment is that sleepiness that leads to napping during the day prevents a patient from being tired or sleepy enough to get good sleep at night. This study is designed to determine if the medication can "reset" participants' sleep/wake rhythm to a more normal rhythm.
The Cognition and Flow Study
DementiaAlzheimer Disease3 moreAbout the research There are currently 850,000 people living with dementia in the United Kingdom. It is now understand that Alzheimer's disease (AzD) can result from damaged blood vessels in the brain. Brain blood flow can be measured using ultrasound, known as transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (or TCD). Brain training (BT) uses exercises or brain-teasers to try to make the brain work faster and more accurately. In recent years, BT has been used to try to improve memory, mood, learning, quality of life, and ability to carry out every-day activities in people with dementia. Aims To find out how acceptable and manageable this BT program is for people with dementia to undertake larger studies of BT in the future. To look for any benefits for people with dementia, such as, improvements in quality of life, ability to carry out everyday tasks, mood, and brain blood flow. How will the research be carried out? Forty patients with AzD, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and twenty healthy older adults will be recruited from memory and geriatric clinics, Join Dementia Research, general practice surgeries and community groups. Participants will be randomly assigned to brain training or control. The control group will be offered the program at the end of the study. First visit: Participants will complete questionnaires on quality of life, mood, everyday abilities, memory and an assessment of brain blood flow Brain training program: Participants will complete 15-30 minute sessions, 3-5 times per week Follow-up: participants will repeat the questionnaires and assessment of brain blood flow Interviews and feedback: to discuss how participants felt the program went, and find out if there are any ways it could be improved.