Mild Cognitive Impairment Clinical Trials

The project is a placebo-controlled study that aims to use closed-loop transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) to study patients with symptoms of mild cognitive impairment which is likely due to Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia (AD-MCI). Patients will undergo an EEG and complete some questionnaires and computer tasks during each study visit. The project has the following aims and hypotheses: 1.) To determine the impact of closed-loop 40 Hz tACS on the entrainment of natural gamma rhythms in patients with AD-MCI, 2.) To determine the impact of closed-loop 40 Hz tACS on cognitive performance in patients with AD-MCI, and 3.) To assess the relationship between baseline neurodegenerative burden and impact of tACS. \[exploratory\] Read Less

Participants will randomly be placed into one of four groups and experience one of the four following conditions: (1) a placebo light that provides a 40 hertz (Hz) flicker (rhythmic light \[RL\]); (2) a placebo light with a random flicker (placebo condition for rhythmic light); (3) a light source that will stimulate the circadian system and provides a 40 Hz flicker (RL); or (4) a light source that will stimulate the circadian system and provides a random flicker (placebo condition for rhythmic light). Following a baseline week, participants will experience his/her assigned lighting condition for two hours in the morning for 8 weeks. After a 4-week washout period, a final round of assessments will be obtained. Study assessments (except for the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Montreal Cognitive Assessment) will be collected at the end of each week, for a total of 8 assessments. Read Less

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of a novel deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the Subthalamic Nucleus (STN) and Nucleus Basalis of Meynert (NBM) to treat cognitive and cognitive-motor symptoms in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The main question it aims to answer is: Is a combined deep brain stimulation approach targeting the STN and NBM with four DBS leads safe and tolerable for cognitive and cognitive-motor symptoms in individuals with Parkinson's disease with Mild Cognitive Impairment. Ten participants are anticipated to be enrolled. Participants will undergo a modification of the traditional STN DBS approach for motor symptoms of PD. In addition to the two leads placed within the STN, two additional leads will be placed with the NBM for treatment of cognitive and cognitive-motor symptoms. Novel stimulation patterns will be used within the NBM to target cognitive and cognitive-motor symptoms using an investigational software. Participants will be followed over two years while receiving this therapy with assessments at baseline and every six months. Assessments will include a combination of neuropsychological evaluations, cognitive assessments, motor tasks (including gait/walking), and questionnaires to evaluate the treatment. Two different surgical trajectories will be used, with half the cohort randomized to each group. This will allow comparison of the impact of surgical trajectory on the intervention. Read Less

Investigate the long-term impact of amount and duration of Tailored Lighting Intervention (TLI) obtained from Aims 1 and 2 on sleep, cognition, circadian marker, mood, and behavior in AD/ADRD patients. For this single-arm, randomized, placebo-controlled study, the researchers plan to recruit 100 participants who will experience either the active TLI or the placebo for 6 months. Read Less

The goal of this study is to objectively test one's sense of smell, called olfaction, in participants with Subjective Cognitive Concerns (SCC), Mild Cognitive Impairment, Mild Behavioral Impairment (MBI), and age-matched controls. The main question it aims to answer is whether the AROMHA Brain Health Test could serve as a predictive biomarker of neurodegenerative disorders. This understanding will aid in the development of a noninvasive, cost-effective diagnostic tool that reliably and specifically distinguishes disease and normal aging populations. Participants will take the approximately 45-minute AROMHA Brain Health Smell Test where they will peel and sniff labels on the physical smell cards and answer questions on the web-based app relating to what they smelled. Participants will undergo tests for odor intensity, odor identification, odor discrimination, and episodic olfactory memory, but will not be provided the results of these tests. Read Less

Advance care planning is important for all adults, but perhaps even more so for the 5.7 million persons with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia (ADRD), due to the progressive and protracted cognitive deterioration associated with the disease process. In the context of ADRD, medical decision-making at the end of life is typically left to one's care partner, who often does not have the knowledge or confidence in their ability to make such decisions. This study will refine and evaluate a web-based platform, called the LEAD Intervention (Life-Planning in Early Alzheimer's and other Dementias), which is designed to help persons in the preclinical or early stage of ADRD engage in conversations about, document, and share their end-of-life values and preferences with a care partner, extended family members, and health care providers. Read Less

The goal of Keeping on Course is to develop and test a psychoeducation program to provide dyads facing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with communication skills and strategies that will establish or restore a sense of agency as they cope with MCI. Read Less

The investigators aim to conduct a randomized controlled trial to compare two symptom-management programs for Black older adults with early cognitive decline (self-reported confirmed by testing) and chronic pain. The programs are Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy with Walking (MBCT+w) and Active Living Every Day (ALED). The investigators will assess how each program may help in improving physical, cognitive, and emotional function. The investigators will also assess whether improvements in outcomes from the two programs are maintained through a 6-month follow-up. Read Less

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) refer to a range of mental and emotional issues that can be observed through how patients move, perform daily tasks, and express feelings on their faces. In this study, the investigators want to find ways to accurately and unobtrusively track these symptoms in people's homes over time. Our goals are to note when these symptoms happen, predict potential problems, and gather clear data to help doctors make accurate diagnoses. To do this, the investigators will first collect information from participants who have in-home sensors. the investigators will then use special computer programs that can recognize everyday activities and identify features that connect to scores from the Mild Behavioral Impairment Checklist (MBI-C). These scores will be compared to a questionnaire (NPIQ) filled out by caregivers or family members, along with any relevant information from doctors about the patients' symptoms. The investigators aim to see how these features can help differentiate between types of NPS, such as mood changes and agitation. Finally, the investigators will create a dashboard for doctors that summarizes the patterns of these symptoms in patients, making it easier to monitor and manage their mental health. Read Less

The current study is a double-blind, placebo-control randomized clinical trial examining the efficacy of memory retraining in individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Impairment in higher level cognitive processing, such as new learning and memory, is one of the most common deficits in individuals with MCI and such deficits have been shown to exert significant negative impact on multiple aspects of everyday life, including occupational and social functioning. Despite these findings, few studies have attempted to treat these cognitive deficits in order to improve the everyday functioning of individuals with MCI. Through a small randomized clinical trial, the investigators found that individuals with MCI with documented cognitive impairment show a significant improvement in their memory performance following a treatment protocol designed to facilitate learning. The current proposal will replicate this finding and further evaluate (a) the impact of the treatment on everyday functioning, (b) the long term efficacy of the treatment and (c) the utility of booster sessions in facilitating long-term treatment effects. We will randomly assign older individuals who meet criteria for a diagnosis of amnestic MCI to a memory retraining group or a placebo control group. Both groups will undergo baseline, immediate and long-term follow-up assessment consisting of: (1) a traditional neuropsychological battery, (2) an assessment of global functioning examining the impact of the treatment on daily activities, and (3) functional neuroimaging. This design will allow the investigators to evaluate the efficacy of this particular memory retraining technique in an aMCI population through the assessment of cognitive function via a standard evaluation. In addition, the investigators will be able to draw conclusions regarding the impact of this particular memory remediation program on everyday life from questionnaires completed by the participant and a significant other. Optional enrollment in pre- post neuroimaging will also allow the investigators to look at changes in the brain. Read Less

This study will probe if the biological changes in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are related to a history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) using high definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) and blood-derived biomarker tools. Participants who Do as well as those who Do Not have a history of mTBI will be enrolled in the study. Read Less

This is a randomized, double-blind clinical trial of a daily oral dose of 200 mg emtricitabine vs. placebo in 35 participants with biomarker-confirmed MCI or mild to moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Study duration for each subject participating in the placebo-controlled research study will be approximately 12 months (up to a 3 months Screening Period, Baseline visit (1 month), 6 months of placebo or emtricitabine dosing, and 1 month follow-up). Participants will have up to 2 months to complete all procedures for the month 6 study visit. Read Less