A Study to Determine if Carbon Dioxide Lavage During Total Knee Surgery Reduces Intraoperative Embolic...
Postoperative ComplicationsMemory DisordersThe purpose of this study is to determine if the use of a carbon dioxide lavage device (CarboJet) to clean bone surfaces during total knee surgery decreases intraoperative embolic events when compared with standard orthopedic techniques.
Aricept to Improve Functional Tasks in Vascular Dementia
StrokeVascular Dementia1 moreMedications for memory improvement are available but they may not actually improve the ability to do real world tasks. The purpose of this research study is to determine if a medicine used to treat memory problems donepezil(Aricept) enhances the ability to remember steps of functional tasks and the actual ability to perform tasks relevant to real-life independence. Aricept is an FDA approved medication for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Aricept is an investigational drug for the purposes of this study, and is not approved for this purpose.
Physical Exercise for Prevention of Dementia
Memory DisordersMild Cognitive Impairment1 moreThe principal aim of this study is to verify whether a program of supervised, multimodal physical exercise improves cognitive function and/or reduces the rate of cognitive decline in older adults
Impact of Covid-19 on Frequent Social Interaction Through Communication Technologies in the Cognitive...
Memory DisordersAlzheimer Disease1 moreThe current study will examine the impact of frequent social interaction through communication technologies during COVID-19 pandemic in the cognitive status of socially-isolated older adults with and without cognitive impairment. Patients will take place in an experimental crossover study, participants will complete one month of an intervention and one month of as passive control. The goal of this study is to determine: A.) if frequent social interaction through ICT during COVID-19 pandemic will have a significant positive impact in cognitive performance on testing, and B.) how social isolation and cognitive status influence misconceptions around the current pandemic.
Age Stereotype Priming and Social Participation
Aging WellMemory LossMemory performance is shown to be affected by age stereotypes among older adults. The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of age stereotype primes on episodic memory using priming intervention. The moderating effects of social participation is also examined.
Sedation Strategy and Cognitive Outcome After Critical Illness in Early Childhood
Intellectual DisabilityPerceptual Disorders1 moreThe purpose of this study is to determine the relationships between sedative exposure during pediatric critical illness and long-term neurocognitive outcomes. We will test for drug- and dose-dependent relationships between sedative exposure and neurocognitive outcomes along the early developmental spectrum and will control for baseline and environmental factors, as well as the severity and course of illness. Hypotheses: Greater exposure to benzodiazepines and/or ketamine will be associated with lower IQ even when controlling for severity of illness, hospital course, and baseline factors. In addition, benzodiazepines and/or ketamine will negatively affect other aspects of neurocognitive function. Younger children exposed to benzodiazepines and/or ketamine will have worse neurocognitive outcomes than older children with similar sedative exposure and severity of illness.
Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Geriatric Patients
DeliriumDementia4 moreGeriatric patients have a high risk of developing postoperative cognitive deficits. Hypothetical causes are insufficient intraoperative cerebral perfusion or drugs that are administered in the perioperative setting. This study will investigate the role of these two factors in patients aged 65 or older undergoing elective surgical procedures under general aesthesia. Non-invasive techniques will be used to monitor intraoperative cerebral perfusion and anticholinergic activity in the patient's blood is determined. Data will be compared to those of a young (20-40 year old) group of patients undergoing elective surgical procedures using an identical anesthetic technique. A second control group of healthy volunteers older than 65 will be investigated to quantify practice effects with repeated testing of cognitive functions.
Identifying Patients With Dementia in Primary Care
DementiaMemory DisordersVeterans who completed GEMS-Phase 1 will be asked to participate in GEMS-Phase 2 to determine the accuracy of methods used to assess mild memory problems. This will better help us evaluate the screening test completed in GEMS-Phase 1. The goals are: Compare the assessment of memory made at the initial visit to assessments of memory made at the second evaluation. Determine of veterans with mild memory problems have improvement or worsening of these memory problems over time. Our long-term goal remains to optimize the quality of care for veterans with cognitive impairment. We will also determine if patient characteristics can be used to target case-finding, describe the current process of care and evaluate the association between cognitive impairment and overall- and dementia-related health care utilization and costs.
Amyloid Plaque and Tangle Imaging in Aging and Dementia
Memory DisordersAlzheimer's DiseaseAmyloid senile plaques (SPs) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that also accumulate in key brain regions in association with normal aging. This project will expand an established program in early detection and prevention of AD designed (1) to identify presymptomatic persons most likely to benefit from early intervention and (2) to provide an objective, noninvasive means to monitor therapeutic trials.
Effects of Music and Dance on Cognition, Frailty, and Burden in Elderly Caregivers Living in Rural...
Cognitive DeclineMemory Loss3 moreThis research aims to analyze the effects of senior dance on the cognition, frailty, and burden in elderly caregivers of rural communities. This is a randomized clinical trial to be conducted with a sample of 58 elderly caregivers residing in rural communities. Data collection will be performed in the homes of the elderly and/or in the dependencies of the Family Health units (USFs - primary health care systems). They will answer Socio-demographic characterization instrument, ACE-R Battery, and electroencephalography for cognitive evaluation, five Fragility criteria proposed by Fried et al and Zarit Burden Inventory. The dance protocol will be applied to the experimental group (n=29) in the USFs and the control group (n=29) will receive health care, including guidance on health care and practices. The protocols include 24 interventions, 60 minutes each, weekly, during 6 months. Analysis of effects comparisons will be conducted between groups and be comparing baseline with final measurements. Dance intervention is expected to exert important positive effects on all study variables (cognitive performance, fragility assessment, and caregiver burden), compared to the group. The intervention of the control group is expected to exert positive effects on some variables of the study (mainly, caregiver burden).