Istradefylline for Parkinson Disease With Cognitive Impairment
Parkinson DiseaseCognitive ImpairmentThe purpose of this research study is to determine whether istradefylline improves cognition in individuals with Parkinson disease with cognitive impairment.
A Stand-alone Therapeutic Music-with-Movement Programme for People With Cognitive Impairment
Cognitive ImpairmentThe number of people living with cognitive impairment is increasing at an exponential rate. More than 100,000 older people are living with dementia in Hong Kong. Alarmingly, about 60% of long-term care residents or day-care centre users are living with dementia, nearly all of whom experience anxiety, depression, or other behavioural and psychological symptoms that place heavy demands on healthcare support and jeopardize their quality of life. A standalone Music-with-Movement system is developed by integrating innovative and communication technology to facilitate the delivery of an evidence-based music-with-movement intervention. The technology employed are music library, 6-axis motion-sensing music instruments, wireless charging, and RFID. This study aims to evaluate the changes in health outcomes (cognition, psychosocial well-being and perceived support) of older adults after receiving the service delivered by the trained staff using the standalone music-with-movement system.
Network-guided TMS in Early Alzheimer's Disease
Mild Cognitive ImpairmentThe proposed research will test a novel network-based neurostimulation approach using MRI-derived measures of brain connectivity to establish target sites for neurostimulation and test for the enhancement of memory function beyond a sham stimulation condition. This will be tested in cohort of MCI adults using network-based transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to assess for behavioral improvement due to the controlled intervention. This study will provide important evidence towards the efficacy of neuromodulatory treatments for memory decline and will accelerate the discovery of potent non-invasive treatments to remediate cognitive decline in cognitively impaired older adults.
Neurocognitive Function After Carotid Thrombendarterectomy
Carotid StenosisPostoperative Cognitive Dysfunction1 morePrevious studies did not reach a consensus on the influence of the type of anesthesiologic procedure and monitoring, during carotid thrombendarterectomy, on perioperative complications and cognitive outcomes. The aim of this study is the optimization of brain perfusion during the vascular carotid clamp using multimodal monitoring. We assume that standardized monitoring techniques and a better selection of cognitive tests will allow a more accurate assessment of subclinical cognitive deficits.
TabCAT Brain Health Assessment in Primary Care
Mild Cognitive ImpairmentDementiaEfficient and user-friendly paradigms to detect cognitive impairment, including dementia are needed in primary care. The TabCAT Brain Health Assessment accurately detects cognitive impairment via an appealing tablet interface with automated scoring and EMR integration. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of the paradigm on detection rates and other brain health outcomes via a pragmatic cluster randomized trial in 26 Kaiser Southern California primary care clinics.
LUPUS Brain: tACS to Target the Neurophysiology of Depression, Cognitive Deficits, and Pain in Patients...
Systemic Lupus ErythematosusDepressionThe purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a type of non-invasive transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on patients diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who are experiencing depression. Targeting depression in patients with SLE may provide benefit to these patients, as there is a clear relationship between chronic pain and depression. The investigators propose that a tACS stimulation montage that was previously used in depression could be beneficial to patients with SLE, resulting in reduced depression symptoms, thus resulting in reduced chronic pain and cognitive difficulties.
Feasibility of the SmartPrompt for Improving Everyday Function in Dementia
DementiaDementia9 moreDifficulty completing everyday tasks is a primary reason for the high cost of care, loss of caregiver paid hours, and general caregiver burden associated with dementia. Electronic reminder applications hold promise as a low-cost solution to improve daily functioning, promote aging in place, and reduce caregiver burden and cost of care, particularly as older adults become more computer literate. There are many electronic reminders available for healthy individuals, but few have been developed to target the specific cognitive difficulties that impede completion of everyday tasks in people with dementia (i.e., premature decay of task goals, decreased motivation to perform tasks, distractibility, semantic knowledge degradation, etc.). Furthermore, there is a dearth of feasibility research on the fundamental efficacy and usability of reminder applications for people with dementia. This R21 proposal addresses these gaps with a feasibility study of the SmartPrompt, an enhanced electronic reminder aid designed for people with dementia that is used with an inexpensive smartphone. A diverse sample of older adults with mild dementia (N = 40) and their caregivers (N =40) will be trained to use the SmartPrompt and then asked to use the application to perform a target task (hydration, meals, or medication) twice per day in their homes for two weeks. Aim 1 will test the hypothesis that the SmartPrompt is effective at promoting everyday task completion (i.e., efficacy) relative to a one- week control period without the SmartPrompt. Using a single-group crossover design, efficacy outcomes will be obtained during the SmartPrompt and Control Conditions and will include participant and caregiver reports of task completion, caregiver report of burden, and participant report of frustration Aim 2 will investigate whether the SmartPrompt will be perceived favorably by participants and caregivers and the extent to which technical support is needed for its use (i.e., usability). Usability measures will be obtained from caregivers (report of technical problems, questionnaire), participants (questionnaire), the study team (training time, technical support required), and the smartphone (i.e., measures of smartphone use, response times to prompts). A third exploratory aim is to examine participant and caregiver features that are associated with efficacy and usability outcomes, including participant cognitive profile, participant/caregiver demographics, computer proficiency and self-efficacy, desire to change, etc. Results will be used to inform 1) a working model of barriers and facilitators for the use and efficacy of prompting applications that may be tested in future studies and 2) SmartPrompt design modifications for a future Phase II clinical trial.
Senicapoc in Alzheimer's Disease
Mild Cognitive ImpairmentAlzheimer DiseaseDevelopment of novel disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains of paramount importance. This study will be a Phase II randomized clinical trial testing Senicapoc in patients with mild or prodromal AD. This will be a small Proof of Mechanism study to prove biological activity and target engagement in humans with early AD. The investigators will study up to 55 patients over 52 weeks, with primary outcomes being Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) scores and blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of neuroinflammation. This pilot study will provide an estimate of treatment effect size on cognitive trajectory, daily function, and brain atrophy.
Effect of Nutritional Supplementation With Turmeric on the Cognitive Performance of Subjects With...
Mild Cognitive ImpairmentThe EPICURO study aims to demonstrate the beneficial effects of a 6-month dietary supplementation with an improved bioavailable turmeric (MERIVA®) on inflammatory, oxidative and metabolic parameters together with cognitive performance, potentially resulting in the reduction of the risk of cognitive decline in subjects, male and female, with Metabolic Syndrome. The results obtained will provide novel insights on MERIVA® for improving the prevention of age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease.
Memory and Attention Adaptation Training-Geriatrics (MAAT-G) Phase II
Cancer-related Problem/ConditionCognitive ImpairmentCancer-related cognitive dysfunction (CRCD) affects up to 75% of patients receiving chemotherapy and older adults are at greater risk of developing CRCD, which can negatively affect their functional independence and quality of life. Memory and Attention Adaptation Training (MAAT) is a promising treatment for CRCD that improves perceived cognition in younger cancer survivors, but needs to be adapted for older adults to address their unique needs. The proposed study will adapt MAAT for older adults using feedback from key stakeholders (older adults with cancer and their caregivers), and subsequently test the ability of MAAT to improve or maintain cognition for older adults with breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy.