Patient-Centered NeuroRehabilitation (PCN)
Cognitive DeficitAs individuals grow older, a number of factors can reduce our cognitive (or thinking) abilities such as "normal" aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiovascular disease. This study will evaluate whether cognitive rehabilitation and transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) can improve cognitive abilities. Cognitive rehabilitation refers to methods that are used to improve tasks people have trouble doing in everyday life. Transcranial electrical stimulation uses small amounts of electricity to try to alter brain functioning. These approaches may help improve cognitive abilities like attention, learning, memory, finding words, and problem solving as well as everyday functioning. The goal of this study is to identify how to best use these methods, either alone or in combination.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Apathy in Mild Cognitive Impairment
ApathyMild Cognitive Impairment4 moreApathy, a profound loss of initiative and motivation, is often seen in older Veterans with memory problems. Apathy leads to serious health problems, increases dependency, and caregiver burden. If untreated, apathy hastens the progression to frank dementia. In a pilot study, the investigators found that apathy, working memory, and function can be restored using magnetic stimulation in some but not all older Veterans. The reason for this variation is unknown. The investigators propose a three-phase study in 125 older Veterans with mild memory problems. Their motivation, memory, and function will be measured periodically. Veterans with apathy that are eligible for treatment will receive either real or sham magnetic stimulation to the front part of their brain over 20 sessions. Genetic testing and biomarkers will be used to differentiate those who respond to magnetic stimulation from those who do not. Impact on function, quality of life, and rates of progression to dementia will also be studied. A project modification was obtained to conduct a cross-sectional study, the COVID Dementia study. The cross-sectional study will examine the effect of the pandemic on MCI and AD patients and their caregivers ("individual COVID-related factors" such as, personally infected, death of a friend/family member, economic hardship, disruption in care, isolation), barriers to telehealth, caregiver distress, NPS, cognition (including onset of delirium), and function. Our goal is to develop a multi-pronged, remotely deliverable intervention to address consequences of healthcare disruptions in older Veterans with cognitive impairment. Aim 1. To explore the association between COVID-related factors and neuropsychiatric symptoms in individuals with MCI and AD. Hypothesis: The number of COVID-related factors endorsed by caregivers will be positively correlated with the severity of NPI-Q in individuals with MCI and AD. Aim 2. To assess cognition (telephonic version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment; tMoCA12, and daily function (Functional Activities Questionnaire; FAQ13). Hypothesis: The number of COVID-related factors will be positively correlated with the severity of cognitive and functional deficits in individuals with MCI and AD. Aim 3. To explore the associations among COVID-related factors and caregiver distress. Hypothesis: Caregiver resilience and perceived social support will modify the association between COVID-related factors and severity of distress in caregivers.
Enhancing Community Participation for Stroke Survivors With Cognitive Impairments
StrokeCognitive ImpairmentAbstract Method: Participants with a diagnosis of stroke and have cognitive impairment (a score of 3 or more on the Executive Interview, 14-item version) will be randomly assigned to the intervention group and the attention control group at a 1:1 ratio. Each session will be around 45 minutes and will be delivered 1 to 2 sessions per week for 12 to 15 sessions. Outcome measures including the Participation Measure- 3 Domains, 4 Dimensions (PM-3D4D), Canadian Occupational Performance Measure(COPM), Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AMPAC) Outpatient Short Forms, Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST), Stroop Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Trail-Making Test (TMT A and B), The National Institutes of Health Stroke scale (NIHSS), modified Rankin Scale (MRS), Euro-QoL-5-Dimension (EQ-5D) and Participation Strategies Self Efficacy Scale (PS-SES) will be administered at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2), 3-month follow-up (T3), 6-month follow-up (T4), and 12-month follow-up (T5). Of the recruited participants, 50 will recieve the fMRI tests (including the resting-state scan, the fMRI scan with Stroop Test and TMT tasks, and the anatomical structure scan) at baseline, post-intervention, and 6month follow-up.Data will be analyzed using multiple linear regression models and mixed-effects regression models.
Adderall XR and Cognitive Impairment in MS
Multiple SclerosisThis 12 week randomized placebo-controlled study will compare the effects of 10 mg and 20 mg of a mixed amphetamine salt, extended release medication (trade name Adderall XR) to placebo on objective measures of processing speed and memory, as well as on self-reported measures of cognition and quality of life. To be enrolled in the study, MS subjects must demonstrate impaired processing speed on the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT).
Cognitive Training in Stroke Rehabilitation
Executive DysfunctionCognitive ImpairmentThis is a randomized, controlled pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of "ASCEND-I" (A Strategy and Computer-based intervention to ENhance Daily cognitive functioning after stroke - Inpatient), an inpatient intervention that combines computer-based cognitive training and coaching of cognitive strategies to improve working memory (WM) and related executive functions in individuals with stroke. The investigators hypothesize that relative to an "enhanced usual care" control condition, ASCEND will be associated with improvements in WM. The investigators also hypothesize that measures of baseline brain connectivity (assessed via participants' routine clinical magnetic resonance imaging scans) will predict response to ASCEND-I.
Repurposing Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors for Treatment of AD
Alzheimer DiseaseEarly Onset2 moreThis is a randomized, double-blind clinical trial of a daily oral dose of 200 mg emtricitabine vs. placebo in 35 participants with biomarker-confirmed MCI or mild to moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Study duration for each subject participating in the placebo-controlled research study will be approximately 12 months (up to a 3 months Screening Period, Baseline visit (1 month), 6 months of placebo or emtricitabine dosing, and 1 month follow-up). Participants will have up to 2 months to complete all procedures for the month 6 study visit.
Water-based Activity to Enhance Recall in Veterans
Mild Cognitive ImpairmentThis four-year study will evaluate the efficacy of an exercise training augmentation for cognitive training intervention to improve memory performance in Veterans with a diagnosis of amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI). This is a two-phased trial: 1) an exercise phase and 2) a cognitive training program. The exercise phase will be an aquatic based exercise program. A combination of exercise and cognitive training programs designed for persons without cognitive impairment have significantly improved memory more than other single intervention groups (exercise only, cognitive training only) and given the success of combination training programs with healthy older adults, it is important to adapt these programs for persons beginning to exhibit clinically significant memory problems, such as those with aMCI.
Rapamycin - Effects on Alzheimer's and Cognitive Health
Mild Cognitive ImpairmentAlzheimer DiseaseThis study will evaluate the safety, tolerability, and feasibility of 12 month oral rapamycin treatment in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and early stage Alzheimer's disease (AD).
The Effectiveness of Dual Task Training in Elderly With Cognitive Decline
Mild Cognitive ImpairmentCognitive decline is the impairment of memory, execution, or language. Early detection of the individuals who manifest cognitive decline and provide appropriate interventions may help reduce the burden of their caregivers and the medical expenses of the health-care system. Many studies have found that dual-task training combining cognitive training and exercise can improve cognitive function in older adults. However, it is yet not clear the appropriate frequency of the effective dual-task training for elderly with cognitive decline. Thus, this study aims to compare the intervention effects of high frequency sequential and low frequency dual-task training for elderly with cognitive decline.
Senolytic Therapy to Modulate the Progression of Alzheimer's Disease (SToMP-AD) Study
Alzheimer DiseaseEarly Onset1 moreThe objective of the study is to determine the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of senolytics in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early-stage AD (Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR)=0.5 or 1) who are tau PET positive