Utilizing Senior Companions to Enhance Dementia Care
Alzheimer DiseaseDementiaThe inability of healthcare systems to effectively manage Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) often results in families remaining unaware of important community-based, long-term services and supports (LTSS) that could help to mitigate the negative effects of cognitive impairment. This project will feature a collaboration between Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota to evaluate a novel adaption of the volunteer Senior Companion Program (SCP) to: a) assist families better manage ADRD at home; b) identify and facilitate the use of LTSS; and c) improve engagement with primary care providers throughout the state of Minnesota. If successful, the PorchLight Project will offer a potentially efficient, wide-ranging service model for states and communities to implement for persons with ADRD and their caregiving families.
Preventing Loss of Independence Through Exercise (PLIE) in Persons With Dementia
DementiaAlzheimer's DiseaseNearly 1 in 10 older Veterans have dementia, which is a devastating condition that leads to a progressive loss of independence and functional status. Currently available dementia medications do not alter the disease course. Therefore, it is critically important to identify effective strategies for helping older Veterans living with dementia to enhance their functional status and quality of life. The investigators have developed a novel, integrative group movement program called Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise (PLIE) that incorporates elements from Eastern and Western exercise modalities and is designed to build and maintain the capacity to perform basic functional movements while increasing mindful body awareness and enhancing social connection. Pilot study results suggested that PLIE is associated with meaningful improvements in physical function, cognitive function and quality of life as well as reduced caregiver burden. The goal of the current study is to perform a full-scale randomized, controlled trial to test the efficacy of PLIE in older Veterans with dementia.
Experimental Study to Validate the "Therapeutic Game" CONEM-BETA
Alzheimer's DiseaseDementiaThe purpose of the study is to assess the efficacy of the systematic application of the CONEM-BETA game in the subjective welfare of family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease or other advanced stage dementia.
A Trial to Support Caregivers of Patients With Dementia in Italy: the UP-TECH Project
Alzheimer DiseaseThe UP-TECH project aims at developing an UPgrading quality of care for Alzheimer's disease patients through the integration of services and the use of new TECHnologies in order to also improving the quality of life of their family caregivers.
Valproic Acid in Subjects With Intact Cognition - Proof of Concept Study
Alzheimer's DiseaseThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety of administration and effects of valproic acid on clusterin expression in cognitively-intact, healthy, elderly subjects. Clusterin mutations have recently been identified as a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's Disease and changes in clusterin expression are seen in the elderly who develop Alzheimer's disease irrespective of whether they carry these genetic mutations or not. Valproic acid may prevent or reverse these changes. Fourteen subjects with normal memory and thinking will participate in this study. Ten of these subjects will receive valproic acid and 4 will receive a "placebo" capsule with no active medicine. Participants will take study medication or placebo for 28 days and be followed for a total 35 days in this trial.
Adaptive Cognitive Training in Healthy Older Adults
Mild Cognitive ImpairmentMild to Moderate Dementia1 moreCognitive training has emerged as a promising method to maintain, enhance, and rehabilitate cognitive function in older adults and individuals with dementia. In recent years, such training has become particularly appealing in the clinical context, with many paradigms aimed specifically at adults experiencing various stages of cognitive decline due to Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementias. However, basic questions remain. For example, uncertainty persists regarding factors that influence observed improvements as well as the conditions that would maximize transfer and sustainability of training effects. The objective of this study is to evaluate factors that may maximize the benefits of computerized cognitive training in older adults.
Study of ITI-007 in Healthy Geriatric Volunteers and in Geriatric Patients With Dementia
Alzheimer's DiseaseA Phase 1b/2, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multiple Oral Dose Escalation Study to Assess Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of ITI-007 in Healthy Geriatric Volunteers and in Geriatric Patients with Dementia
A Pilot Study to Reduce Inappropriate Anticholinergic Prescribing in the Elderly
Alzheimer DiseaseThis will be an eight-week, prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to evaluate a patient-centered team (pharmacist-physician) intervention to improve medication appropriateness and reduce the use of inappropriate anticholinergic medications in elderly patients enrolled in the Sanders-Brown Alzheimer's Disease Center (ADC) cohort.
Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Amyloid-beta (Aβ) Dynamics
Alzheimer DiseaseIntroduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by neurodegeneration of the brain in the form of neurofibrillary tangles and plaques containing the amyloid-beta protein (Abeta). Recent animal studies have shown that extended wakefulness is associated with increased production of these Abeta proteins and that sleep leads to a marked fall in their production. Aim: The investigators aim to distinguish a similar effect of sleep disturbance on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Abeta levels in humans, which may point out sleep disturbance as an important factor in AD development. Methods: a study in 26 healthy male volunteers, measuring CSF Abeta levels during a sleep deprivation night and before and after a control night with unrestricted sleep. Expected results: The investigators expect sleep deprivation to lead to an increase in CSF Abeta levels, as compared to the levels in the control night.
Multiple Dose Study of TRx0037
Alzheimer's DiseaseThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of TRx0037 after multiple doses in elderly volunteers.