Cognitive Impairment Clinical Trials

The purpose of this research study is to see how the brain changes in patients receiving chemotherapy (cytotoxic drug) treatment for colon or rectal cancer at Parkview Cancer Institute. This information will be used to identify helpful tests to diagnose individuals at risk for developing difficulties with thinking and memory due to their cancer treatments. Read Less

This randomized, placebo-controlled trial aims to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of memantine and the University of Carolina (UNC)'s Get Real \& Heel cancer exercise program (MEM+EX) in addressing cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) and underlying CRCI biomarkers. Ninety stage I-III breast cancer patients with mild cognitive difficulties during chemotherapy will be randomized into three groups: MEM+EX, memantine, or placebo. The study will evaluate recruitment, retention, adherence, acceptability, cognitive function, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), inflammatory markers, and frailty at multiple time points. Read Less

This is a human clinical study involving the isolation of autologous bone marrow derived stem cells (BMSC) and transfer to the vascular system and inferior 1/3 of the nasal passages in order to determine if such a treatment will provide improvement in neurologic function for patients with certain neurologic conditions. http://mdstemcells.com/nest/ Read Less

The current study is a mechanistic study to evaluate working memory gains from application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in older adults with mild cognitive impairments (MCI) compared to cognitively healthy control Read Less

The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of Problem Adaptation Therapy for Pain (PATH-Pain) on cognitive functioning, depression and pain-related disability in 100 older adults with cognitive impairment, chronic pain, and depression. The study will test if PATH-Pain has better cognitive, affective, and functional outcomes than Attention Control Usual Care. Read Less

The aim of this study is to design a sleep and mindfulness intervention to improve sleep, quality of life, and cognitive function among older adults. Read Less

The goal of this double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial is to test the effect of 12 weeks of orally administered MitoQ (mitoquinol mesylate) supplementation on cognition in 50 people with early phase schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (E-SSD) who have mitochondrial dysfunction (called high risk, or HR). Cognitive impairments in SSD can cause significant disability. Yet, there are no effective treatments for cognitive impairments in SSD. It has been shown that alterations in a certain type of brain cell (parvalbumin interneurons, or PVI) underlie cognitive deficits in SSD. These PVI, which fire at a fast rate, utilize high amounts of energy from the mitochondria and are highly vulnerable to oxidative stress. MitoQ is an antioxidant. Research has shown that, in mice, MitoQ can reduce oxidative stress in the mitochondria. The main question that this clinical trial aims to answer is: • Does MitoQ supplementation, compared to placebo, improve cognition in HR patients? Secondary questions that this clinical trial aims to answer are the following: Does MitoQ supplementation, compared to placebo: * Improve positive and negative symptoms of SSD in HR patients? * Improve functioning in HR patients? * Improve/normalize blood markers of mitochondrial dysfunction in HR patients? The investigators will enroll 100 individuals with E-SSD. These enrolled participants will participate in an initial screening visit to determine if they qualify for the actual clinical trial. At the screening visit, the investigators will ask about psychiatric history to determine diagnosis; ask about medical history; do a physical exam; collect blood and urine samples; do a pregnancy test; and ask participants to bring in their current medications in their original packaging so it is known what they are taking. After the screening visit, the investigators will invite 50 HR patients (identified with a blood test) to continue with the clinical trial. Participants who qualify for the clinical trial will be asked to: * Take a supplement (MitoQ or placebo) once per day for 12 weeks in addition to their usual medications. * Come in for a study visit every 4 weeks over the 16-week study period. At these study visits, the investigators will do a physical exam; ask about symptoms and side effects; take blood and urine samples; and ask questions about general health and well-being, quality of life, mental health, emotional health, and mood. At visits 1 (baseline) and 4 (12 weeks), participants will also take a cognitive assessment. Read Less

Endocrine therapy (ET) is widely used to treat hormone receptor positive breast cancer and prevent recurrence by downregulating estrogen function. However, ETs readily cross the blood brain barrier and interfere with the action of estrogen in the brain. Estrogen supports cognition and menopausal status is closely linked to cognitive health in women. This has raised concern that anti-estrogen ETs may affect cognition and brain health in breast cancer survivors. However, evidence across existing studies is inconsistent and these effects remain poorly understood. The incomplete understanding of the effects of ET are likely due to limitations of earlier studies - namely, the under-appreciation of the role of menopausal status and insensitivity of standard cognitive measures. This research project will address these earlier limitations by specifically comparing ET effects by menopausal status, and using highly sensitive, task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measures to assess the effects of ET on brain function. Read Less

The COgnitive and Physical Exercise to improve Outcomes after Surgery (COPE-iOS) study is testing the hypothesis that a pragmatic program combining computerized cognitive training and physical training throughout the perioperative period will improve long-term cognitive and disability outcomes in older surgical patients at high risk for decline. To accomplish these goals, the Investigators are randomizing 250 patients ≥60 years old undergoing elective major non-cardiac surgery with expected hospitalization ≥3 days to a pragmatic comprehensive training program (computerized cognitive training and supervised progressive physical exercise) or to active control (control computer game, stretching exercises) for 2-4 weeks prior to surgery and for 3 months after discharge. At baseline and after discharge, the Investigators will assess global cognition, activities of daily living, depression, endothelial and blood brain barrier function (blood biomarkers), and neuroimaging (anatomical and functional MRI). In this early stage trial, the Investigators will determine if certain subgroups benefit most, program aspects with greatest effect on outcomes, mechanistic associations with outcomes, and additional exploratory analyses. Read Less

Researchers are doing this study to find out if a high fermented food diet is tolerable, and if it will help improve quality of life after surviving a critical illness, including severe COVID-19, by promoting gut health recovery and decreasing gut inflammation. Read Less

The goal of this clinical trial is to test 6 months of aerobic exercise in older adults who are 65 years or older and have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or probable/possible mild Alzheimer's Disease. The main questions it aims to answer are: * test the effects of aerobic exercise on aerobic fitness, white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume, and patient-centered outcomes; * identify the best exercise to improve aerobic fitness and reduce non-responses over 6 months; and * examines the mechanisms of aerobic exercise's action on memory in older adults with early AD. Participants will receive 6 months of supervised exercise, undergo cognitive data collection and exercise testing 5 times over a year span, have an MRI brain scan 3 times over a one-year span, and have monthly follow-up discussions on health and wellness. Read Less

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) often causes persistent motor and cognitive deficits in children resulting in functional limitations. We are testing a brain stimulation method along with evaluating objective tools to help record and restore communication among affected brain areas, which will facilitate recovery in youth after mTBI. Read Less