Active clinical trials for "Cognitive Dysfunction"

Cognitive and mobility impairments are critical contributors to dementia and disability in older adults, and can be caused by neurodegenerative and neurovascular changes at the pre-frontal (PF) brain areas. In a previous technological project funded by ISCiii, the investigators adapted a non-invasive, point-of-care optical methods (fNRIS/fDCS technology) to study PF metabolism and blood flow activation during cognitive and motor tasks, in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. These methods are sensitive to change after physical exercise (PE) and after selectively and safely stimulating PF areas with electrical transcranial direct current stimulation (tCS). PE and tCS have shown benefits for cognition and mobility in the elderly, but their prolonged effect on PF hemodynamic activation has not been studied. Understanding the specific action of these interventions on the brain, and their clinical cognitive and motor impact, is key to fine-tune appropriate treatment strategies. The FRONT STAGE project aims to compare, through a 3 arms single-blind randomized clinical trial, the impact of a 10 weeks, 1 hour/week program of PE (arm 1) Vs PE+tCS (arm 2) and Vs a control group (arm 3, healthy aging sessions and control of cardiovascular risk factors). The PE program is already implemented in primary care, as part of another previous project of the investigators' research group. Outcomes will include the optical measurement of PF metabolism and blood flow and clinical measures of cognitive and physical function. Front STAGE project will recruit 93 older adults with cognitive impairment and slow gait, but without dementia or disability in the activities of daily living (N=31 per arm). They will receive a comprehensive geriatric assessment at baseline, together with the optical, cognitive and physical measures, and will be follow-up at 3 and 6 months. Weekly physical activity through accelerometry will be controlled in analyses. FRONT STAGE project centered on aging and the prevention of dementia and disability, will provide, translationally, more evidence to support and enlarge the clinical application of these interventions, and will contribute to foster further research in this field.

This project develops an innovative screening system and prediction model to detect preclinical symptoms of cognitive impairment and predict the potential development of mild cognitive impairments and dementia in older adults. The earliest possible detection of preclinical symptoms is prerequisite to improve the efficacy of subsequent preventative non-pharmacological, life-style and exercise related, personalized treatment interventions.

As the population ages and medical progress is made, many elderly patients that previously would not have been candidates for surgery are now undergoing operations. In this group of older patients, brain dysfunction after anesthesia and surgery is well recognized and categorized into two distinct clinical entities; Post-operative cognitive delirium (POD) and post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Delirium is an acute and fluctuating deterioration in attention accompanied by either a change in cognition or arousal and is often diagnosed by criteria established in the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). Delirium can present as hypoactive (decreased alertness, motor activity and anhedonia), as hyperactive (agitated and combative) or as mixed forms. Age and the type of operation are the major risk factors. Post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a term used to describe subtle changes in cognition, such as memory and executive function. The most commonly seen problems are memory impairment and impaired performance on intellectual tasks. In severe cases, it can lead to inability to perform daily living functions. It was previously found that the presence of cognitive dysfunction 3 months after non-cardiac surgery was associated with an increased mortality. The mechanisms leading to cognitive impairment after anesthesia and surgery are not yet fully clear. The risk factors are related to patient characteristics, type of operation and anesthetic management. Despite its limitations over-anesthesia as monitored by BIS was at-least correlative with POD. Therefore it is hopeful that an even more precise evaluation of the level of anesthesia will improve POD prediction (and thereby prevention) even further. On the other hand the measure of depth of anesthesia by itself does not provide sufficient prediction for POCD. In POCD a major role has been assigned to hippocampal damage. The investigators have recently demonstrated that temporary hippocampal interruptions are manifested by interhemispheric desynchronization, which are recognized by our new algorithm, which monitors electrophysiological markers of attention and of perception. The investigators have developed a unique algorithm for analyzing EEG based on the concept of monitoring perception and attention and their interhemispheric synchronization. The aims of this proof of concept study are: (i) to find-out whether interhemispheric desynchronization of attentional processes is associated with POCD; (ii) to find out whether the level of anesthesia, is linked primary to POD and secondary to POCD.

This study is affiliated to Sino Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Decline, SILCODE. To establish models of normal and pathological cognitive aging.To collect the longitudinal data of SCD population, to study the dynamic changes of brain networks so as to explore the progressive mechanisms of AD on brain networks and to construct a high-precision multi-modal model for early diagnosis.

Postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) is a common and impactful outcome of surgical procedures in older adults. The pathophysiology and causative mechanisms for POCD are poorly understood. The robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) is increasingly utilized. In patients undergoing RARC, Although prolonged Trendelenburg position and pneumoperitoneum can increase the cerebral blood flow, the excessive cerebral perfusion can lead to encephalemia, which reduce the oxygen uptake of brain tissue and cause insufficient oxygenation of brain tissue at the cellular level. POCD may take place due to cerebral hemodynamic changes. The goal of the current study is to investigate the combined effect of this position and CO2 pneumoperitoneum on POCD during RARC with the monitor of cerebral oxygen.

Chronic hepatitis HCV-related is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in Italy. Patients with chronic hepatitis C present a prevalence of depressive disorders higher than that of the general population; moreover, it has been repeatedly demonstrated the presence of cognitive deficits and poor quality of life. Chronic hepatitis C therapy was based on the combined use of pegylated alpha-interferons (PEG-INF), and ribavirin. Recently, new therapeutic protocols have been introduced, and while some antiviral drugs, including the first-generation ones, were used only in combination with PEG-IFN and ribavirin, the second and third generation antiviral drugs protocols are interferon-free. However, because of the high cost, the access to interferon-free protocols is only for patients with advanced fibrous stages, or with concomitant extra-hepatic HCV-related diseases, or for transplanted patients. Many side effects, such as flu-like symptoms, and psychiatric symptoms (depression, anxiety, irritability, insomnia) are common during antiviral therapy with IFN. However, in patients with chronic hepatitis C, a high lifetime prevalence of major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and brief recurrent depression have been observed, irrespective of IFN treatment and the use of alcohol and narcotics; such associations between mood and anxiety disorders and chronic hepatitis C may reflect a high prevalence of bipolar spectrum disorders. The presence of severe psychopathological symptoms requires the reduction of posology and causes high rates of discontinuation of antiviral therapy. This project represents an innovative psychiatric and neuropsychological screening program for patients with chronic hepatitis C, eligible for antiviral therapy. Primary objectives: to verify the medium-term impact of new antiviral therapies on quality of life, psychological well-being and cognitive function in subjects with chronic hepatitis C; to verify the predictability of specific psychopathological components and specific determinants on compliance with new antiviral therapies. Main secondary objectives: to verify the evidence of association between various psychiatric disorders and cognitive deficits and chronic hepatitis C; to evaluate the relative weight of psychopathological and/or cognitive disorders on the efficacy of antiviral therapy and on quality of life.

The aim of this project is to study the safety and efficacy of anthocyanins in improving key dementia-related mechanisms and cognitive functioning in older people at risk for dementia. Secondary analyses will include a variety of biological measures, including biochemistry, imaging and cardiovascular measures.

The primary aim of the study is - in a prospective controlled design - to examine whether treatment-induced decreases in testosterone acts as a mechanism of cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) in testicular and prostate cancer patients. Secondary aims are 1) to explore whether decreases in testosterone interacts with increasing age to cause more severe CRCI in older patients, 2) to explore underlying neurophysiological (brain morphology) mechanisms of CRCI, and 3) to evaluate selected genetic variants as possible moderators of CRCI.

The objective of the study is to evaluate whether memory training combined with executive training could lead to improved cognitive and noncognitive performance in patients with MCI. Furthermore, we will explore the neural correlates underlying the changed performances.

The present study aimed to assess the influence of nitroglycerin and esmolol-induced hypotension on cerebral oxygen saturation by using near-infrared spectroscopy and postoperative cognitive function in patients undergoing nasal surgery.