Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter
Directory of Research Opportunities for People with Dementia and Their Families

Alzheimer's Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter
Research Studies Listings Database
Directory of Research Opportunities for People with Dementia and Their Families

Visual Interventions to Improve Cognition in Alzheimer's Disease
• Objectives:  Previous research has indicated that aspects of vision are impaired in AD, including the abilities to recognize and discriminate objects, faces, and patterns. Recent research shows that these impairments can strongly predict aspects of cognition in AD. We plan to apply this new knowledge to designing visual interventions that are relevant to everyday life, with the goal of significantly ameliorating certain cognitive deficits in AD. This research will provide new information not only about the visual deficits of individuals with AD, but perhaps more importantly, about non-pharmacological methods of intervention to improve cognitive performance and quality of life.  More detail....

Dynamic Attention and On-road Driving
• Objectives:  The purpose of this study is to determine whether simple tests of dynamic visual attention (the ability to pay attention to and track moving objects) are predictive of on-road driving performance in individuals with mild cognitive impairments (MCI) such as early Alzheimer’s Disease. The findings may lead to the development of a simple test that is a better predictor of driving performance than existing screening tests.   More detail....

Category: Caregiving Studies

Telephone Intervention for Dementia Caregivers
• Objectives:  The primary goal of the proposed study is to determine the efficacy of a telephone-based, psychosocial intervention to reduce caregiver burden and depression in dementia caregivers. Secondary goals are to explore whether burden mediates the relationship between treatment and depression and to identify what caregiver characteristics/situational factors are predictors of the best response to treatment.   More detail....

Vocal Acoustics Study
• Objectives:  The purpose of this research study is to establish an easily obtained and objective measure of depression. In order to do so, we are looking at the relationship between depression and vocal acoustics, which are speech patterns, in patients with Major Depressive Disorder.   More detail....

Sleep in Alzheimer's Disease and Caregiver Daily Mood
• Objectives:  The purpose of the study is to better understand how sleep disturbances in individuals with Alzheimer's disease affect their family caregivers' daily positive and negative mood and sleep.  More detail....

Parent Care Arrangements Among Adult Children
• Objectives:  This study will explore the ways adult children decide which siblings give care to a parent and what each sibling does for the parent over a 2 year time period. We want to understand the reasons why some adult children take on specific care tasks while others do other tasks or don’t help with care giving.  More detail....

Caregiver Health Pathways Study
• Objectives:  This study will evaluate how caregiving for a person with dementia may affect health through various biological mechanisms, such as the immune system or metabolic measures. This study will involve 4 annual interviews at the Boston University General Clinical Research Center. The interviews will include questions about the caregiving situation, stress, physical and emotional health, and lifestyle; performance-based measures of mobility, and markers obtained from serum and urine. This overall goal of this study is to gain insight into the inter-relationships over time among caregiving activities, stress, biological markers, and health.  More detail....

CARE-Plus: An Intervention to Teach Caregiver's Strategies to Manage Problem Behaviors
• Objectives:  Most individuals who suffer from Alzheimer's disease live at home and are cared for by family members. While caring for a loved one with AD can be rewarding, it can also be challenging and stressful. Many families find it difficult to manage changes in their loved one’s behavior such as loss of interest and motivation, depression, agitation, and irritability. At times, family members’ own physical and emotional health as well as their relationships with family and friends can be affected. CARE-PLUS is a 5-week group intervention designed to teach caregivers skills to better manage and decrease the problem behaviors of their loved one. The goal of CARE-PLUS is to improve the lives of BOTH the individual with Alzheimer’s disease and the family member providing the care.  More detail....

Category: Diagnostic Studies

Home-Based Assessment (HBA) Study
• Objectives:  The HBA study seeks to determine the feasibility of detecting cognitive change in participants aged 75 or older from the comfort of their own home. The study will compare three different at-home methods, including mail-in forms or a special telephone or computer, to the traditional way of collecting information in a clinic setting. It will also look at how well subjects adhere to study medication schedules using a multivitamin that we will provide.   More detail....

Heart & Brain Aging
• Objectives:  This study is comparing heart function with memory and thinking abilities in older adults with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment. The goal is to better understand the impact that heart health has on brain aging and determine whether subtle heart health problems are a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.  More detail....

Research Study for Identifying Early Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease
• Objectives:  The overall goal of this study is to explore the usefulness of fMRI as a biomarker (a way to detect a disease) for use in clinical drug studies and studies of disease progression in people with mild memory impairments (MCI), an early stage of memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Our study will first help us find out if two different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) produce similar brain images in people performing a face-name memory task and then help us find out if there are changes in the fMRI scan that occur over the course of MCI and mild AD. We will examine the relationship of fMRI scan findings to clinical variables, memory task performance, gene type, and other imaging techniques (ASL perfusion and volumetric MRI) in those who have had scans at one time point (cross-sectionally) and those who will have several scans over 36 months (longitudinally).   More detail....

Alzheimer's Disease: An Eye Examination to Determine Status
• Objectives:  Boston University Ophthalmology and Boston University Eye Associates are conducting a research study of a commonly prescribed Alzheimer's disease drug and its effect; with the emphasis on the eye. We are recruiting participants for a research study of the eye and the role of NMDA receptors in Alzheimer’s disease after a treatment decision regarding NAMENDA has been made. The study does not suggest or interfere with management, and participants can already be on an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. We would evaluate participants after treatment decisions regarding NAMENDA are made, but prior to a participant starting to take the medication. A complete eye examination is performed just prior to going on NAMENDA. In addition to a complete eye examination, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) - a photography type image of the inside of the eye, and Frequency Doubling Technology (FDT) - a very simple side vision/peripheral test are done. We also do pen and paper tests of how memory and the brain work. All tests are repeated two additional times. Examinations can be done at the Boston Medical Center Boston University Eye Associates (BUEA) at Boston University. They can also be done at the BUEA Brockton clinic located across from the Westgate Mall in Brockton.  More detail....

Category: Drug Studies

Investigational Clincial Amyloid Research in Alzheimer's (ICARA): Bapineuzumab Trial
• Objectives:  The ICARA (Investigational Clinical Amyloid Research in Alzheimer’s) study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a new drug, Bapineuzumab, in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The study has been referred to as the “Vaccine Study,” but it is not the typical “vaccine” that is given to prevent a disease. Rather, Bapineuzumab is a passive immunotherapy approach to treating AD in people who already have the disease. The ICARA study is taking place here at Boston University Medical Center, as well as at numerous national and international sites. Bapineuzumab is an antibody that may increase the clearance of beta amyloid from the brain. Beta amyloid is a protein that accumulates in brain tissue to form plaques, which is believed to play the major role in the development of AD. The drug will be given as an infusion (that is, intravenously). Study participants will be randomly assigned to receive the investigational drug, Bapineuzumab, or a placebo so there is a 60 % chance of receiving Bapineuzumab and a 40 % chance of receiving a placebo   More detail....

Effect of LY450139 on the Progression of Alzheimer's Disease
• Objectives:  To find out whether or not taking the investigational medicine (LY450139)in addition to one's current medications, is safe and effective in slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This investigational product is thought to block the production of certain proteins in the brain. These proteins cause plaques that are thought to kill nerve cells in the brains of people with AD.   More detail....

Research Study of a Vaccine for Alzheimer's Disease
• Objectives:  We are seeking Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients to evaluate the safety of a new investigational drug called ACC-001 that may be a possible treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. ACC-001 is an investigational drug not currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Subjects will be randomly assigned to receive drug or placebo (contains no active medication). Subjects must have a study partner or caregiver who is able to come to 24 clinic visits over the course of 2 years. Study participants will be reimbursed for parking. If you are interested, please email Dr. Gad Marshall gamarshall@partners.org or call Brigham and Women’s Hospital at (617) 732-8085. All information is kept completely confidential.  More detail....

Placebo-Controlled Efficacy and Safety Trial of Bapineuzumab in Patients with Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease Who are ApoE4 Carriers
• Objectives:  We are recruiting subjects with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) to evaluate a new investigational drug, bapineuzumab, that may not only improve symptoms but also retard the progression of the underlying disease. If the trial we are doing is successful then the drug may be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating AD. Subjects will be randomly assigned to receive drug or placebo.   More detail....

Alzheimer's Vaccine Trial
• Objectives:  We're looking for volunteers to participate in a clinical study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an investigational drug aimed at slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The current medications for Alzheimer's disease are aimed at maximizing the remaining brain activity. The ICARA study was created to explore a new investigational treatment option. Ask your doctor if the ICARA study is right for you. For more information, visit www.ICARAstudy.com or call 1-888-818-MEMORY. For participation at McLean Hospital please contact: Brittany Jordan 617-855-2499   More detail....

Placebo-Controlled Efficacy and Safety Trial of Bapineuzumab in Patients with Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease Who are ApoE4 Non-carriers
• Objectives:  We are recruiting subjects with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) to evaluate a new investigational drug, bapineuzumab, that may not only improve symptoms but also retard the progression of the underlying disease. If the trial we are doing is successful then the drug may be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating AD. Subjects will be randomly assigned to receive drug or placebo.   More detail....

IDENTITY Study
• Objectives:  To find out whether or not taking the investigational medicine (LY450139)in addition to one's current medications, is safe and effective in slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This investigational product is thought to block the production of certain proteins in the brain. These proteins cause plaques that are thought to kill nerve cells in the brains of people with AD.  More detail....

CONCERT: An Alzheimer's Disease Investigational Trial with latrepirdine
• Objectives:  The CONCERT study is a clinical research study with the goal of determining whether latrepirdine combined with Aricept (also known as Donepezil HCl tablets) safely improves cognition (thinking and awareness), memory, daily functioning, behavior and the ability to care for oneself.  More detail....

Research Study of an Oral Drug Treatment (Dimebon) for Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease
• Objectives:  The Concert Study is a late-stage clinical research study of 1050 patients to test the effects of Dimebon in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, who are currently taking Aricept® (donepezil HCl tablets). The purpose of the Concert Study is to determine whether Dimebon safely improves cognition (thinking and awareness), memory, daily functioning, behavior, and the ability to care for oneself. The Concert Study will also look at how Dimebon affects the lives of people caring for patients who are taking the medicine.  More detail....

A Trial Studying a New Medication to Treat Mild to Moderate Alzheimer’s Compared with Placebo.
• Objectives:  Only a few sites in the country have been selected for this trial and only 150 subjects in the nation will have this opportunity. The study medication has a new mechanism of treatment, that differs from medications that are currently on the market. The primary objective is to assess the study medication in comparison with placebo on a performance-based measure of cognition in subjects with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.  More detail....

Study of BMS-798163 for the Treatment of Prodromal (early stage) Alzheimer’s Disease
• Objectives:  The purpose of this clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of BMS-798163, a drug that has the potential to treat Alzheimer’s disease. BMS-798163 is a gamma secretase inhibitor. Gamma secretase is an enzyme (a protein that facilitates chemical reactions in the body) that plays a key role in producing the beta-amyloid protein that forms the characteristic plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients. Inhibiting or stopping the action of this enzyme may reduce the production of beta-amyloid and amyloid plaques.  More detail....

Category: Genetic Studies

Brain Structure and Memory in Adult Children of Alzheimer's Disease
• Objectives:  The goal of this study is to determine how stress interacts with genetic vulnerability for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to impact brain volume and memory in midlife. The project is based on the urgent need to find early markers of AD.   More detail....

Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Family Study
• Objectives:  The purpose of the study is to create a national resource of families with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are working to find genes that may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease and understand how they work. We are looking for sibling pairs (brothers and/or sisters) who developed Alzheimer’s Disease at or beyond age 60 to donate blood samples and provide some basic clinical information. The blood samples will be used to make a cell line, which will provide future researchers with an inexhaustible source of DNA. DNA is the genetic material that determines things such as eye color, hair color, and other more complex characteristics or traits. The clinical information and cell lines will be stored at the National Cell Repository for Alzheimer’s Disease at Indiana University and will facilitate studies aimed at locating and identifying genetic factors that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. It is hoped that this research will lead to a better understanding of the underlying mechanism of disease as well as the possible development of new preventative or more advanced therapies.  More detail....

Category: Normal Aging Studies

Southcoast Cognitive Aging Study
• Objectives:  Healthy middle-age adults, older adults, and those similarly-aged adults demonstrating normal aging and those with early signs of impairment in the form of undiagnosed dementia, yet reported memory complaints, will be assessed in this pilot study. We intend to determine health and cognitive risk factors and improve our ability to recognize consistent symptom patterns in normal aging and those with preclinical forms of cognitive impairment. This research study will explore health disparities in the SouthCoast Massachusetts region and assess the feasibility of conducting a longitudinal study of health and aging in a diverse urban setting.  More detail....

Health Outreach Program for the Elderly (HOPE)
• Objectives:  HOPE is a National Institutes of Health funded research project based at the Boston University School of Medicine and Edith Norse Rogers Veterans Administration Hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts. HOPE is a long-term study that evaluates persons with and without memory problems throughout their lives. The goal of HOPE is to increase the understanding of how memory and thinking change as people age. HOPE collects data on patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease and on individuals with normal memory to help diagnose, understand, and find treatments for Alzheimer's disease. The data that is collected becomes part of a research registry that is utilized to facilitate significant research related to Alzheimer's disease by many investigators. Eligible participants will be asked to undergo a short physical examination, a test of memory and concentration, and to donate a small sample of blood. Participants are asked to return yearly for a follow-up evaluation. Since little is known about Alzheimer's disease in African American families, a priority in this project is to enroll African Americans. This will help ensure that this population benefits from new developments in diagnosis and treatment. Participants are also asked to consider donating brain tissue after their death. Research using brain tissue helps scientists discover treatments for Alzheimer's disease. The results of the brain examination are made available to family members.  More detail....

Category: Nutritional Studies

The NSCT Study - Nutritional Supplements Combination Therapy
• Objectives:  This research study (Nutritional Supplements Combination Therapy, or NSCT Study) will determine whether a combination of nutritional supplements including a fruit, vegetable, & whole grain powdered concentrate, fish oil, Vitamin D, and an encapsulated blend of herbs and spices is well tolerated, and safe for older, adults with normal memory and cognition. The study will also explore whether this combination of supplements has any effect on substances in the blood and urine which indicate physical and brain health, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, blood glucose, and blood pressure. We will estimate the size of these effects, if any, in order to plan future studies related to brain health and Alzheimer’s disease.  More detail....

A vitamin-based formulation that may help delay cognitive decline in aging and Alzheimer's disease
• Objectives:  We have developed an inexpensive, over-the-counter formulation of six (6) vitamins and nutriceuticals that, when taken together at our dosages, protect brain tissue from age-related damage and maintain memory in our preclinical studies of mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. This formulation also boosts memory in normal mice. Our published studies demonstrate that it increases production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which otherwise declines in aging, and declines even more in Alzheimer's disease. Our publications using this formulation demonstrate that it can maintain or even boost cognitive performance, as well as alleviate behavioral difficulties such as aggression and depression, for over 2 years in mild-to-moderte AD, and can lessen the progression of cognitive decline in late-stage AD. We are conducting an additional one-year study to determine whether this formulation can help delay the progression of initial memory difficulties, including Mild Cognitive Impairment. Individuals at all stages of diagnosed memory difficulties including AD may participate. Participants will be required to take the formulation (consisting of 2 pills) once a day, and to complete standard memory tests when they start, after approximately 1 month, and every 3 months during the year-long test. A family or institutional caregiver will be required to complete standard reports regarding participant's well-being. Each entire visit should be about 1 hour.  More detail....

Category: Other Studies

SAFE-Drivers Project: Skills Assessment for Elderly Drivers
• Objectives:  The progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) inevitably leads to a decline in cognitive functions necessary for safe driving. However, there is a great variability in how MCI and AD affects driving. Determining when a patient must reduce or stop driving is a complicated issue for families and physicians, as well as for departments of motor vehicles (DMVs) and policy makers who must deal with the balance of public safety and personal autonomy. While formal on-road driving tests are commonly viewed as the “gold standard” for the assessment of driving fitness, these tests are not widely available, are extremely costly, and are not covered by Medicare. As a proxy measure to the formal on-road evaluation, office-based cognitive, motor and visual assessments have been suggested. However, many of the tests are lengthy or require specialized training, making them impractical in either health care settings or DMVs. The goal of this study is to examine 80 older drivers (including healthy controls as well as people with MCI or AD), between ages 55-90, and to determine which combination of existing office-based tests will most accurately predict on-road driving performance. The participant assessment will utilize office-based tests compiled from the three most widely studied and/or recommended batteries of driving safety proxy measures and from individual tests that have been shown to have the greatest predictive ability in identifying unsafe drivers as summarized in recent literature reviews. Driving safety will be measured by a formal, standardized on-road driving evaluation. By providing a brief, cost-efficient, and highly valid alternative to formal on-road tests, unsafe drivers will be more easily identified and more likely to stop driving, leading to a significant decline in injuries and death.  More detail....

Category: Tissue Donation

Alzheimer Brain Bank for collecting and distributing brain tissues to researchers in the USA and around the world for research into Alzheimer's and other dementing diseases
• Objectives:  To collect, process, store and distribute tissue to researchers around the world who have institutionally approved projects for research into the mechanisms and causes of dementing diseases. All tissues are distributed anonymously (the identity of the donor is not released).  More detail....

Research of any kind involving human subjects must, by law, be approved by an independent committee made up of physicians, lay persons and others. All studies listed here received Institutional Review Board approvals from their respective institutional sponsors before being approved for posting with our telephone Helpline and on our Web site by the Medical & Scientific Advisory Committee. However, neither the Committee nor the Alzheimer's Association can guarantee the safety or efficacy of any study. We urge you to call the contact listed for the study in which you are interested in order to get as much information as possible. You may also want to ask your primary care doctor about your decision to join a particular research study.

Database last updated: 10/21/2011 11:39:12 AM