Memory Imaging of Normal Aging

Sponsor

National Institute on Aging (NIA) (NIH)

Overall Status

Completed

CT.gov ID

NCT00315575

Collaborator

(none)

Enrollment

Location

Duration (Months)

2.6

Patients Per Site Per Month

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to develop imaging techniques that can distinguish functional brain changes in people at high risk for dementia years prior to onset of clinical memory problems from those with normal changes of aging.

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
Alzheimer's Disease	Procedure: BOLD and Perfusion brain MRI

Detailed Description

The overall goals of this project are to identify consistent patterns of variance in brain function in patients at risk for Alzheimer's Disease by using APOE ε4 as a marker for disease risk. The activation Blood Oxygen Level Dependency (BOLD) signal will be compared to both resting and activation perfusion signals to assess the variability of cerebral blood flow as it relates to the BOLD signal. Each participant will be imaged on a 3T MRI scanner while performing an associate episodic memory task.

A total of 90 individuals will be recruited for this study. Participants will be non-demented, right handed, adults with or without at least one APOE ε4 allele. Groups will be split as follows: A) ages 25-39: non-ε4 (n=15); B) ages 25-39: +ε4 (n=15); C) ages 40-49: non-ε4 (n=15); D) ages 40-49: +ε4 (n=15);.E) ages 50-65: non-ε4: F) ages 50-65: +ε4 (n=15). These groups will be matched for mean age, mean years of education, gender distribution, as well as the presence or absence of a family history of AD in a first degree relative.

There will be 2 scanning sessions for each participant. Scan session #1 and Scan session #2 will be acquired within 2 weeks of each other and will take approximately one hour each.

Study Design

Study Type:

Observational

Anticipated Enrollment :

90 participants

Observational Model:

Cohort

Time Perspective:

Cross-Sectional

Official Title:

BOLD and Perfusion fMRI of Alzheimer's Disease Risk

Study Start Date :

Aug 1, 2005

Actual Primary Completion Date :

Jul 1, 2008

Actual Study Completion Date :

Jul 1, 2008

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/Treatment
1 Individuals with high risk for Alzheimer's disease	Procedure: BOLD and Perfusion brain MRI Blood oxygenation and perfusion functional MRI performed twice, two weeks apart; each scan lasts 1 hour
2 Individuals with low risk for Alzheimer's disease	Procedure: BOLD and Perfusion brain MRI Blood oxygenation and perfusion functional MRI performed twice, two weeks apart; each scan lasts 1 hour

Arm

Intervention/Treatment

Individuals with high risk for Alzheimer's disease

Procedure: BOLD and Perfusion brain MRI

Blood oxygenation and perfusion functional MRI performed twice, two weeks apart; each scan lasts 1 hour

Individuals with low risk for Alzheimer's disease

Procedure: BOLD and Perfusion brain MRI

Blood oxygenation and perfusion functional MRI performed twice, two weeks apart; each scan lasts 1 hour

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

identification of consistent patterns of variance in brain function in subjects at risk for Alzheimer's Disease by using APOE ε4 as a marker for disease risk [single time point]

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:

25 Years to 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Yes

Inclusion Criteria:

Right-handed

Exclusion Criteria:

Major medical illnesses
History of significant head trauma with residual cognitive deficits
Other neurological or major psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, developmental learning disorder, and alcohol or substance abuse
MRI contra-indications