Active clinical trials for "Dementia"

Dementia is one of the main causes of disability in the elderly. It is characterized by cognitive, functional and social impairment, as well as behavioral changes. Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are experienced by patients and observed by caregivers during the natural course of dementia. These symptoms, such as apathy, depression and agitation, are a heterogeneous group of noncognitive symptoms and behaviors. When these symptoms are present, it is more likely that the elderly will be institutionalized as the caregivers will be overloaded with demands. Pharmacological treatment presents little efficacy for the adequate control of these symptoms, and nonpharmacological interventions have been recommended as the first line of treatment. Multisensory stimulation (MSS), a nonpharmacological intervention, is one of the possibilities for intervention in people with dementia and NPS. MSS aims to stimulate the five primary senses, namely, hearing, sight, taste, smell and touch, through pleasurable sensory experiences, in a safe and relaxed environment. This work aims to investigate the effects of an MSS protocol in aged people with dementia living in long-term care institutions in Brazil.

The aim of the intervention proposed in the present study is to assess the effect of a cognitive stimulation (CS) intervention program in an individual and long-term format, for non-institutionalized elderly people with neurocognitive disorders and in a situation of social vulnerability. Specifically, to test the effectiveness of CS on the global cognitive state, on mood state, on quality of life and on functional state. The program will be composed by 50 sessions, including three of assessment sessions (pre, intra and post-intervention). Each session will have a duration of 45 minutes with a weekly frequency. Control group participants will maintain their treatment as usual.

Caregivers of adults with dementia report higher distress, including anxiety and depressive symptoms, burden, and existential suffering, than caregivers of people with other chronic diseases. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a behavioral intervention designed to increase psychological flexibility in the face of challenges. Results from our recent proof-of-concept study suggest that ACT is effective in reducing anxiety and associated psychological distress in dementia caregivers. In this study, we will randomize N=60 dementia caregivers in equal numbers to receive either 6 weekly 1-hour telephone-based ACT sessions (TACTICs; experimental) or minimally-enhanced usual care (mEUC; control). We hypothesize that our TACTICs intervention will be feasible and acceptable in this population and will have a greater impact on reducing anxiety and secondary outcomes from baseline to post-intervention, and 3 and 6 months later.

The proposed research will develop, refine, and pilot test the Pain Identification and Communication Toolkit (PICT), an intervention to help family caregivers of community-dwelling persons with dementia identify pain symptoms and communicate those symptoms to health care providers. Informed by self-efficacy theory, PICT will include: a) training in administering an observational assessment tool to identify pain in persons with dementia, b) coaching in effective communication about the person with dementia's pain symptoms, c) future planning for steps to take when pain is detected, and d) updating caregivers' skills through routine practice with the pain assessment tool. All components will be vetted and iteratively field-tested with a sample of racially and ethnically diverse caregivers of community-dwelling persons with dementia and health care providers. A two-group pilot randomized trial will examine the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary impact of PICT on caregivers' initiation of pain-related communication with health care providers.

The lack of efficacious research-based interventions for sexual and gender minority (SGM) older adults living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, combined with the heightened risk of cognitive impairment in this population, presents a significant public health problem. SGM older adults are at elevated risk of social isolation and experience significant barriers to healthcare access. Existing interventions for older adults with dementia have been found to be effective for caregiving dyads. Yet SGM older adults, compared to heterosexuals, are significantly less likely to be married or to have biological family members to support them. A significant proportion of SGM older adults living with dementia have no caregiver or care network. The goal of the proposed research is to design and pilot test the cultural appropriateness, acceptability, and feasibility of an innovative translation of a personalized care network-RDAD (Reducing Disability in Alzheimer's Disease) to support those living with dementia without a family caregiver, directly addressing unique SGM-specific risk factors.

A Phase 2, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of ANAVEX2-73 for Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Parkinson's Disease with Dementia (PDD)

Background, current situation, and motivation According to current estimates, 100,000 people in Austria suffer from various types of dementia. According to forecasts, this number of people will rise to approximately 230,000 by 2050 due to the demographic development and the increase of the prevalence rate. Data from the service statistics show that 85% of dementia patients still live in the community in their homes and informal caregivers, such as relatives, support them. In total, more than 300,000 people care for their relatives in Austria in addition to professional support. However, not only the person affected from dementia suffers from the disease, but also, and often at a higher rate, the informal caregivers. Vice versa, the quality of life of those suffering from dementia is significantly influenced by the caregivers' competences and their strategies for resilience. Study aim and hypothesis The aim of this study is to evaluate the usability, acceptance, and effect of an app consisting of three modules that provide multidimensional support for informal caregivers of a person with dementia.

To evaluate the superiority of brexpiprazole 1 mg or 2 mg over placebo after a 10-week treatment regimen for agitation associated with dementia of the Alzheimer's type in patients who require medication, and to investigate the safety of brexpiprazole and identify the optimum dose.

Agitation and aggression impose a tremendous burden on the individuals living with dementia, their families, caregivers, and healthcare systems. Neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia (NPS) affect up to 80% of patients with Alzheimer's dementia. These symptoms impair patient and care giver's quality of life, increase the chances of hospitalization and also result in faster progression of the illness. The efficacy of current treatments is limited and the antipsychotic medications commonly used to treat these symptoms are associated with serious side effects. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that uses a very low intensity electric current to modulate cortical excitability and brain plasticity. tDCS can be safely administered to awake persons and is very well tolerated. In this study the investigators will use tDCS to treat agitation related to NPSD.

In recent decades, following an increased longevity in Hong Kong, there is a drastic increase in the prevalence chronic conditions, including dementia. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BDSP) seem to be the main reasons of suffering for many older adults. This condition does not only pose a burden to the whole family but also the healthcare system. While conventional treatment of BPSD using pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacological treatments has been effective for managing symptoms, owing to the adverse side effects caused by anti-psychotic drugs and the short effective period incurred by non-pharmacological interventions, development of alternative and non-pharmacological approaches for the management of behavioral disturbances and pain is of urgent need. Research has shown that aromatherapy (both administered through inhalation and therapeutic massage) has been effective in reducing behavioral disturbances of dementia patients. These findings support the premise that aromatherapy and the investigators hope to provide further evidence to support the use of aromatherapy as an evidence-based mainstream intervention for reducing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Whilst there is sufficient evidence to support the effectiveness of aromatherapy, few studies compared the effectiveness of the use of aromatherapy by inhalation and/or therapeutic massage. The investigators aim to address the above research gaps on the clinical application of aromatherapy on BPSD, with a focus on comparing the differential effectiveness between administration by inhalation and administration by therapeutic massage. The proposed research aims to (1) test the efficacy and effectiveness of aromatherapy on the symptom management of BPSD in older adults; (2) compare the effects of aromatherapy-scent (i.e., inhalation) and aromatherapy-touch (i.e., therapeutic massage) in older adults with BPSD. This study also explores the benefits of aromatherapy on cognitive functioning, functional performance and social engagement as secondary outcomes. A randomized, controlled, and single blinded trial is proposed. 120 older adults with BPSD will be randomly assigned to aroma inhalation (intervention), aroma-touch or wait-list (control) treatments. The primary outcomes measured are a caregiver-rated inventory of agitated behaviors and abnormalities of mood and psychotic phenomenal, cognitive functioning, functional performance and social engagement (secondary outcome) will be assessed three time points the study hypotheses are supported, the findings will provide empirical support for a treatment option that could improve psychological well-being and also improve cognitive functioning, functional performance, and social engagement of older adults.