Mild Cognitive Impairment Clinical Trials

The Boston Cognitive Assessment (BoCA) is a self-administered online test intended for longitudinal cognitive monitoring. BoCA uses random not-repeating tasks to minimize learning effects. BoCA was developed to evaluate the effects of treatment in longitudinal clinical trials and available gratis to individuals and professionals. Read Less

This study will conduct a group randomized trial to test the effects of a hula-based intervention in improving vascular risk factors for ADRD and cognitive complaints and function over 12 months. Read Less

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a personalized, web-based training intervention that was developed to teach use of an Electronic Memory and Management Aid (EMMA) application. The app-based system is designed to support everyday memory, daily activity management and positive health behavior engagement for older adults with subjective cognitive complaints or mild cognitive impairment. The investigators will also evaluate the degree to which a clinician is needed to oversee the uptake and utilization of the EMMA app during the web-based training intervention. Read Less

This multi-site clinical trial occurs at the University of Minnesota and University of Rochester. It tests the efficacy and additive/synergistic effects of an ACT intervention on cognition and relevant mechanisms (aerobic fitness, Alzheimer's disease [AD] signature cortical thickness, and default mode network [DMN]) in older adults with amnestic MCI (aMCI). Read Less

Apheleia-001 is a prescreener that aims to identify and characterize participants with reported cognitive impairment using demographic information, clinical history, brief cognitive assessments, and blood-based biomarkers to distinguish appropriate participants for referral to a therapeutic AD clinical trial. Read Less

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the leading causes of disability in older adults. Because pharmacological approaches do not seem to prevent or slow the disease, clinicians need non-pharmacological interventions that might help people with AD remain independent for as long as possible. This study aims to evaluate the effects of a new behavioral treatment, the Structured External Memory Aid Treatment (SEMAT), for adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) designed to promote independent living skills by explicitly teaching the use of strategies and tools to compensate for cognitive weaknesses. Aim 1: Evaluate the efficacy of the SEMAT for improving functional performance in a pilot randomized trial. Aim 2: Evaluate demographic, clinical, and neuropsychological predictors of treatment adherence. Aim 3: Develop and refine the SEMAT manual and other materials for training future interventionists. Read Less

This trail is for patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who are receiving a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). We will assess changes in neurocognition following TAVR with the 5 minute Montreal Cognitive Assessment (mini MoCA) when comparing pre procedure with post procedure assessments. Read Less

This research is being done to determine if computerized administered cognitive fitness activities will improve thinking and depression in older depressed adults who are being treated with antidepressants. The investigators are also interested in whether participating in the treatment will result in changes to brain activity measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Read Less

Apathy, a profound loss of initiative and motivation, is often seen in older Veterans with memory problems. Apathy leads to serious health problems, increases dependency, and caregiver burden. If untreated, apathy hastens the progression to frank dementia. In a pilot study, the investigators found that apathy, working memory, and function can be restored using magnetic stimulation in some but not all older Veterans. The reason for this variation is unknown. The investigators propose a three-phase study in 125 older Veterans with mild memory problems. Their motivation, memory, and function will be measured periodically. Veterans with apathy that are eligible for treatment will receive either real or sham magnetic stimulation to the front part of their brain over 20 sessions. Genetic testing and biomarkers will be used to differentiate those who respond to magnetic stimulation from those who do not. Impact on function, quality of life, and rates of progression to dementia will also be studied. A project modification was obtained to conduct a cross-sectional study, the COVID Dementia study. The cross-sectional study will examine the effect of the pandemic on MCI and AD patients and their caregivers ("individual COVID-related factors" such as, personally infected, death of a friend/family member, economic hardship, disruption in care, isolation), barriers to telehealth, caregiver distress, NPS, cognition (including onset of delirium), and function. Our goal is to develop a multi-pronged, remotely deliverable intervention to address consequences of healthcare disruptions in older Veterans with cognitive impairment. Aim 1. To explore the association between COVID-related factors and neuropsychiatric symptoms in individuals with MCI and AD. Hypothesis: The number of COVID-related factors endorsed by caregivers will be positively correlated with the severity of NPI-Q in individuals with MCI and AD. Aim 2. To assess cognition (telephonic version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment; tMoCA12, and daily function (Functional Activities Questionnaire; FAQ13). Hypothesis: The number of COVID-related factors will be positively correlated with the severity of cognitive and functional deficits in individuals with MCI and AD. Aim 3. To explore the associations among COVID-related factors and caregiver distress. Hypothesis: Caregiver resilience and perceived social support will modify the association between COVID-related factors and severity of distress in caregivers. Read Less

The proposed study will evaluate a new approach to cognitive rehabilitation of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) using a brain stimulation technique called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Specifically, we will investigate how tDCS combined with cognitive training improves deficits to attention and working memory in Active Duty Service Members with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). Measures of attention-related brain activity, neurocognitive assessments, and self-reported clinical outcomes will be used to determine effects of tDCS vs. sham tDCS when paired with a cognitive training intervention. By doing this study, we hope to find a reliable, noninvasive, and efficient method of treating mild TBI cognitive symptoms. Read Less

This study evaluates the use of an EEG device using Event Related Potentials to help diagnose Alzheimer's Disease in the outpatient clinical setting. Read Less

Difficulty completing everyday tasks is a primary reason for the high cost of care, loss of caregiver paid hours, and general caregiver burden associated with dementia. Electronic reminder applications hold promise as a low-cost solution to improve daily functioning, promote aging in place, and reduce caregiver burden and cost of care, particularly as older adults become more computer literate. There are many electronic reminders available for healthy individuals, but few have been developed to target the specific cognitive difficulties that impede completion of everyday tasks in people with dementia (i.e., premature decay of task goals, decreased motivation to perform tasks, distractibility, semantic knowledge degradation, etc.). Furthermore, there is a dearth of feasibility research on the fundamental efficacy and usability of reminder applications for people with dementia. This R21 proposal addresses these gaps with a feasibility study of the SmartPrompt, an enhanced electronic reminder aid designed for people with dementia that is used with an inexpensive smartphone. A diverse sample of older adults with mild dementia (N = 40) and their caregivers (N =40) will be trained to use the SmartPrompt and then asked to use the application to perform a target task (hydration, meals, or medication) twice per day in their homes for two weeks. Aim 1 will test the hypothesis that the SmartPrompt is effective at promoting everyday task completion (i.e., efficacy) relative to a one- week control period without the SmartPrompt. Using a single-group crossover design, efficacy outcomes will be obtained during the SmartPrompt and Control Conditions and will include participant and caregiver reports of task completion, caregiver report of burden, and participant report of frustration Aim 2 will investigate whether the SmartPrompt will be perceived favorably by participants and caregivers and the extent to which technical support is needed for its use (i.e., usability). Usability measures will be obtained from caregivers (report of technical problems, questionnaire), participants (questionnaire), the study team (training time, technical support required), and the smartphone (i.e., measures of smartphone use, response times to prompts). A third exploratory aim is to examine participant and caregiver features that are associated with efficacy and usability outcomes, including participant cognitive profile, participant/caregiver demographics, computer proficiency and self-efficacy, desire to change, etc. Results will be used to inform 1) a working model of barriers and facilitators for the use and efficacy of prompting applications that may be tested in future studies and 2) SmartPrompt design modifications for a future Phase II clinical trial. Read Less