Active clinical trials for "Cognitive Dysfunction"

This study is to evaluate whether the consumption of probiotics can improve the symptoms of patients with mild cognitive impairment; also evaluate the effects of probiotics on patients' blood, oxidation and stress related indicators.

Depression is one of the most frequent and devastating psychiatric diseases with a substantial bur-den for patients and society. It is specifically associated with dysfunctional activity in brain networks subserving cognitive control of emotional information processing. Normalization of this activity is a hallmark of various treatment approaches. Computerized training of cognitive control has shown antidepressant effects in experimental lab settings and small clinical pilot trials. However, motiva-tion, treatment adherence, and access for patients are major challenges that limit its broader use. To address these challenges, we developed a software application (de:)press®) that integrates gamification elements in a standard cognitive control task to support motivation, usage time, usabil-ity, and therefore symptom reduction. In a previous pilot trial, we were able to document that de:)press® is superior to a non-gamified standard cognitive control training in reducing depression symptomatology. Based on these data, we now designed a full-size confirmatory trial for the pur-pose of testing the hypothesis that de:)press® provides a positive healthcare effect by means of reduction in depression severity compared to treatment as usual (TAU). In this randomized, con-trolled, clinical trial 112 patients will be randomized to the intervention group (IG) with de:)press® additional to TAU, or the control group (CG) receiving only TAU. For a period of 6 weeks, the IG is provided with de:)press®. To prove a stable efficacy of de:)press®, the primary endpoint is the dif-ference in the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Scale (MADRS) change 4 weeks after the end of training between IG and CG.

The NeuroFit study will be investigating the impact of exercise on global cognition, hippocampus-dependent memory function and the gut microbiota in a middle-aged population.

Impaired working memory (WM) plays a crucial role in normal aging, in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cognitive decline associated with dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aging-related differences in WM are hypothesized to be based on various neurobiological origins, for example alterations in the dynamic interplay between the large-scale brain networks have proven an important role. Recent studies have shown that non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) methods can modulate neuronal activity, plasticity and large-scale brain network interactions. The investigators hypothesize that multifocal NIBS can improve WM. By successive and concurrent stimulation of multiple brain regions of the WM network by transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and/or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) the investigators will study dynamic interactions between distinct cortico-cortical and subcortico-cortical brain areas. By leveraging multimodal systems neuroscience information during multifocal stimulation, the investigators expect to acquire better mechanistic understand through which NIBS acts on the brain and improves cognitive functions, such as WM.

The 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.

Elderly humans have an increased risk of dementia which begins as mild defects in memory called mild cognitive impairment. Glutathione (GSH), a key endogenous antioxidant has been linked to cognition. This exploratory study will investigate mechanisms linked to GSH for cognitive impairment (and improvement) by studying humans with mild cognitive impairment who will be evaluated 12-weeks after receiving either N-acetylcysteine and glycine (GSH precursors), or receiving alanine, and a further 12-weeks after stopping these supplements.

Age is a major risk factor for the development of cognitive disorders and neurodegenerative pathologies. Cognitive disorders during the phases of bipolar disease are known to exist, and alterations increase significantly after the age of 65. Drug treatments seem to have only a limited effect. A cognitive stimulation program has proven his benefit to patients over 65 with neurodegenerative diseases (Israel, 2004). We propose to evaluate this cognitive stimulation program that we have adapted to bipolar disease.

This study will use an anticholinergic pharmacological probe to examine attention network function in SCD using EEG. The overall hypothesis is that in older adults with SCD, normal cognitive performance is maintained by compensatory attention network activity, supported by enhanced cholinergic function. The investigators anticipate that SCD will be associated with greater compensatory attention network activity and that disrupting this compensatory process through anticholinergic challenge will result in a greater negative effect on attentional performance (Attention Network Test, ANT) and attention network functioning (EEG) in older adults with SCD compared to those without SCD.

The investigators propose to conduct a 6-month 3-arm randomized controlled exercise trial among older adults to compare the efficacy of yoga with aerobic exercise and stretching-toning exercises on cognitive function, brain structure and function, cardiorespiratory fitness, functional fitness, and inflammatory and molecular markers. Using a single-blind, three arm randomized control trial, 168 older adults ages 55-79 will be assigned to either: a Hatha yoga group, an aerobic exercise group or an active stretching and toning control group. The groups will engage in hour-long group exercise sessions 3x/week. A comprehensive neurocognitive test battery, brain imaging, cardiovascular fitness test, and a blood draw will take place at baseline; end of the 6-month intervention, and at 12-month follow-up. The proposed work will examine the relationship between yoga training and improved cognitive functioning as well as identify neurobiological correlates as potential mechanisms of action through which yoga training exerts its effect on cognitive function. COVID-19 Precautions: Due to COVID-19, all exercise sessions will be conducted live via Zoom video-conferencing such that 1/3rd of the participants in each group will exercise in person with the research staff at UIUC campus once a week while the remaining 2/3rd will tune in via Zoom

Most experts advocate for early detection of cognitive impairment (CI) so that patients and caregivers can be prepared for making difficult decisions and to improve quality of life, but studies show that screening alone isn't sufficient to change clinician actions related to early detection. Using predictive modelling developed with machine learning methods and sophisticated clinical decision support (CDS) tools, it is possible to identify patients at elevated risk for CI and make it much easier for primary care to engage and support patients and caregivers in meaningful care planning. The goal of this study is to implement and evaluate a low-cost, highly scalable CI-CDS system integrated within the electronic health record that has high potential to improve early CI detection and care and translate massive public and private sector investments in health informatics into tangible health benefits for large numbers of people.