Clinical Research Directory

The Underlying Neural Mechanism of TMS in Improving the Imbalance of "Microbiota-brain-gut Axis" in Alzheimer 's Disease Population

What is this study about? This study focuses on Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a common neurodegenerative disease that affects memory, thinking, and daily life. We aim to explore whether a non-invasive treatment called Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) can improve AD symptoms by regulating the "gut-brain-intestine axis" - a connection between gut bacteria, the brain, and the intestines. Who can participate? * \*\*AD patients\*\*: Aged 50-80, diagnosed with mild to moderate AD (MMSE score 18-27, MoCA score 10-26), with stable condition for at least 6 months, and able to cooperate with tests and treatment. * \*\*Healthy controls\*\*: Aged 50-80, with normal cognitive function (MMSE ≥28, MoCA ≥27), no AD family history, and matched in age and gender with AD patients. Those with epilepsy, severe mental illness, recent use of antibiotics/probiotics, or inability to complete MRI scans are not eligible. What will participants experience? * \*\*AD patients\*\*: Will be randomly divided into two groups. Both groups will receive 4 weeks of treatment (5 days/week) with a helmet-like device. One group gets real rTMS (safe magnetic stimulation to the brain), and the other gets sham stimulation (no effective magnetic field, but same sound/feel). * \*\*Healthy controls\*\*: No treatment, but will complete the same tests as AD patients. * \*\*Tests during the study\*\*: Cognitive assessments (memory, thinking skills via questionnaires), stool/blood sample collection (to check gut bacteria and body markers), and MRI scans (to look at brain structure/function) at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. What are the potential benefits? * Free rTMS treatment (for AD patients), free MRI scans (valued at 700 RMB), and a 200 RMB subsidy. * Free health checks (gut bacteria analysis, metabolic tests) and cognitive evaluations to understand personal health status. * Contribution to developing new AD treatments that may help future patients. Is it safe? rTMS is a clinically proven safe technique. Possible mild side effects (headache, scalp irritation) usually go away on their own. Sample collection (stool/blood) and MRI scans are non-invasive or minimally invasive. A professional team will monitor participants throughout to handle any issues. For healthcare providers This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind sham-controlled study (200 AD patients, 200 healthy controls). The primary goal is to explore rTMS's mechanism via the gut-brain-intestine axis, with MoCA score changes (6 months post-treatment) as the main outcome. It integrates multi-omics and neuroimaging data to provide evidence for AD's non-drug treatment.

A Study to Investigate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of RO7812653 in Participants With Early Symptomatic Alzheimer's Disease (eAD)

This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, immunogenicity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics following administration of RO7812653 in participants with eAD.

A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of KarXT + KarX-EC for Cognitive Impairment in Alzheimer's Disease (MINDSET 2)

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KarXT + KarX-EC for cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's Disease

A Study to Evaluate ALN-5288 in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

The purpose of this study is to: * Evaluate the safety and tolerability of intrathecal (IT) ALN-5288 in patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) * Evaluate the pharmacodynamic (PD) and pharmacokinetic (PK) effects of ALN-5288 after dose administration

Chronic Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease by Gamma Light and Sound Therapy

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by significant memory loss, toxic protein deposits amyloid and tau) in the brain, and changes in the gamma frequency band on EEG. The investigator's lab found that boosting gamma waves in AD mouse models using light and sound stimulation at 40Hz not only reduced amyloid and tau in the brain, but also improved memory. The investigators developed a light and sound device for humans that stimulates the brain at 40Hz that can be used safely at home. For the present study, 60 participants with mild Alzheimer's disease will be enrolled and will use this light and sound device at-home daily for 6-months. Investigators will measure changes in brain waves with EEG, blood biomarkers, the microbiome via fecal samples, functional and structural MRI scans, memory and cognitive testing, and questionnaires at 3 in-person visits throughout the study. After the 6-month time point, participants will have the option of continuing in the study for at least one year and completing yearly study visits. This study will provide critical insight into extended therapy involving non-invasive 40Hz sensory stimulation as a possible therapeutic strategy for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Core

Efforts to find treatments for AD have yielded only modest benefits, likely because longstanding AD pathological processes induce irreversible neurological compromise. These processes begin years before the onset of clinical symptoms. This possibility has been incorporated into a model describing stages of AD development, articulated by the NIA/Alzheimer's Association preclinical workgroup of which the Co-Director of the Kulynych Alzheimer's Research Center, Dr. Suzanne Craft, was a member. According to this model, the best hope for countermanding the effects of AD lies in intervening at the earliest possible point in the pathological cascade. There are several important ongoing efforts in adults with preclinical AD that directly target amyloid aggregation. Although this strategy addresses an important aspect of the AD pathological cascade, we believe that addressing metabolic dysfunction affecting glucose and insulin regulation offers a complementary approach, in that it may reduce amyloid burden and toxicity, while also directly enhancing synaptic health, brain metabolism, tau regulation and neurovascular function. The purpose of the ADCC is to identify and characterize early risk factors that predict cognitive decline and dementia in asymptomatic adults and adults with early signs of cognitive impairment. The data obtained from this study, collected at enrollment and follow-up will allow us to examine disease trajectory in individuals with and without prediabetes and other measures of glucoregulatory dysfunction in this process. The enrollees, who will be well-characterized with regard to cognitive and metabolic status through ADCC assessments, will provide an important resource for other local (institution) and national investigations. Data collected from participants enrolled in the ADCC will be stored indefinitely for future investigations.

A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of KarXT + KarX-EC for Cognitive Impairment in Alzheimer's Disease

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of KarXT + KarX-EC for cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's Disease

Detection of Alzheimer's Disease (AD)-Related Seeds for AD Diagnosis

The study will investigate the biomarkers of Aβ and Tau seeds in plasma detected by Alzheimer's disease (AD) related seeds quantitative detector (AD-seeds-detector), and their sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing AD, compared with those from age-matched cognitively normal controls, and those with other types of dementia. To perform a high throughput analysis of the amount of Aβ and Tau seeds, the investigators have developed an AD-seeds-detector, in which a fluorescence microplate reader was combined with an oscillating mixer or water-bath-type ultrasonicator.

The Diagnostic Cut-off Value of Core Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease

The participant in this study includes Alzheimer's disease (AD including familial AD and sporadic AD) patients, amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) patients, non-AD dementia patients and cognitively normal control. The purpose of this study is to establish the best cut-off value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood β-amyloid (Aβ) 42/40, total tau (t-tau) , phosphorylated tau ,inflammatory factors, etc. in diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

A Clinical Trial to Learn About the Effects of VHB937 in People With Early Alzheimer's Disease

This is a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group Phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of VHB937 in participants with early AD followed by an Extension. The double-blind part is 72 weeks long, followed by an extension.

A Study to Compare Two Different Sleep Tests in Participants With No Symptoms or Early Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease

The purpose of this study is to compare the results of two different sleep tests in Alzheimer's patients with no symptoms or early symptoms. Participants will undergo two simultaneous sleep tests (polysomnography) in a sleep laboratory for two nights and one sleep test at home for three nights. For each participant, the study will last at least a week and will last up to three months.

Art of Memory for Cognitive Enhancement in the Monza Brain Health Service

The goal of this pilot interventional clinical trial (non-drug study) is to learn whether memory techniques (mnemonics) can improve cognitive performance in adults over 50 years old with subjective cognitive decline who are followed at the Brain Health Service of Monza. The study will also evaluate the feasibility of this intervention and explore which biological or clinical factors may influence its effects. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Do memory techniques improve overall cognitive performance, measured by a composite score from a neuropsychological test battery, after 6 months? * Are any cognitive benefits maintained over time (up to 9 months)? * Do biomarkers (such as blood p-tau217 levels, APOE genotype, or brain atrophy on MRI) influence the response to memory training? * Do memory techniques improve subjective cognitive complaints and performance on sensitive memory and cognitive-motor tests? Researchers will compare a memory training group to a control group receiving information only to see whether structured mnemonic training leads to greater improvement in cognitive outcomes. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the memory training group or the control group. Both groups will undergo complete cognitive assessments at baseline, 6 months, and 9 months. If assigned to the training group, participants will attend two in-person group sessions to learn basic and advanced memory techniques, participate in two additional online group meetings, access online video materials, and practice memory exercises on a dedicated online platform for about 20 minutes per day. If assigned to the control group, participants will receive general information about memory techniques but no structured training or platform access. A total of 80 participants (40 per group) will be enrolled. This pilot study will help estimate the size of the effect and determine whether a larger future study is feasible.

Lombard Cohort of Brain Health Services

The goal of this multicenter prospective observational cohort study is to better understand the clinical, neuropsychological, and biological characteristics of individuals attending Brain Health Services (BHS) in the Lombardy region. The study focuses on adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), functional cognitive disorder (FCD), or "well worried" individuals without objective cognitive impairment. The main questions it aims to answer are: * What clinical, cognitive, and biological differences exist between individuals who are positive versus negative for Alzheimer's disease (AD) plasma biomarkers (p-tau217) at baseline? * What factors predict positivity to AD biomarkers at baseline? * How does communication of biomarker results (risk disclosure) affect psychological well-being shortly after receiving results? * What factors predict longitudinal changes in AD biomarkers over 5 years? * Do baseline biomarkers predict the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia during follow-up? Participants will: * Undergo standard clinical evaluation at their local BHS * Provide blood samples for plasma biomarker analysis (e.g., p-tau217, GFAP, NfL, ApoE) * Undergo neuropsychological testing and cognitive screening * Complete questionnaires assessing psychological impact and risk perception (before and after biomarker disclosure) * Undergo additional center-specific procedures when clinically indicated (e.g., MRI, lumbar puncture, polysomnography) * Be followed annually for 5 years The study plans to enroll approximately 1000 participants across multiple BHS in Lombardy and will follow them for a total duration of 7 years. The results will help clarify the role of biomarkers in early cognitive complaints and support the development of preventive strategies within BHS.

WeCareToFeedDysphagia to Reduce Care-partner Burden Full-scale RCT

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a newly-created website tool, called WeCareToFeedDysphagia, helps to reduce feelings of burden in care partners of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) who were diagnosed with trouble swallowing (oropharyngeal dysphagia). The main questions this study aims to answer are: * How effective is the WeCareToFeedDysphagia tool in reducing feelings of burden in care partners? * Does the WeCareToFeed Dysphagia tool help improve patient outcomes? * Does care partner age, gender, and patient dysphagia severity impact the strength of the effect of the WeCareToFeedDysphagia tool? * Is the strength of the effect of the WeCareToFeedDysphagia tool impacted by care partner's beliefs in being able to manage behavior and stress (self-efficacy)? Researchers will compare a group of care partners who have access to the WeCareToFeedDysphagia tool (intervention) to a group of care partners who do not have access to the tool. Both groups will receive contact information for help from a speech language pathologist expert (enhanced usual care). Participants will: * be given access to the web tool and receive 3 text message reminders over 3 weeks to use the tool (intervention group only). * be asked to complete a remote, web-based survey three times: when enrolled in the study, at 1 month following patient leaving the hospital, and at 3 months following patient leaving the hospital.

TREAD: Time Restricted Eating Intervention for Alzheimer's Disease

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if restricting the time of eating to allow for prolonged fasting at night may reduce sleep disturbances, cognitive decay, and pathology in patients diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or early to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). It will also learn about the feasibility of practicing 14 h of nightly fasting in this group of older adults. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does prolonged nightly fasting of 14 h can reduce markers of AD pathology and aging and reduce cognitive and sleep alterations in MCI and AD patients? * Can patients with MCI and early /moderate AD sustain time-restricted eating for 3 to 6 months? Researchers will compare participants who fast for 14 h per night during 3 months to those who fast for less than 12 h/night. Researchers will also compare participants that fast for 3 months to those who fast during 6 months, to determine the effective duration of the intervention. Finally, researchers will evaluate whether following the time-restricted eating diet alongside a partner actively following the same diet, will increase adherence to the protocol compared to subjects that fast alone. Participants will: * Fast for 14 h a night (stop eating at 8 pm and start eating the following morning at 10 am) for 3 or 6 months * Visit the clinic three times (at the beginning of the study, 6 and 12 months later) * Provide blood samples and take a cognitive test during clinic visits * Keep a diary (or use an app on a smart phone) to record time of eating * Wear an activity tracker watch

A Community-Based Screening Program to Identify Participants at High Risk for Amyloid Pathology

The primary purpose of this study is to identify participants with or without symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) that are at high risk for brain amyloid pathology using blood-based biomarkers.

DIAN-TU Amyloid Removal Trial (ART) in Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Disease

This is an open label study to treat dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease (DIAD) mutation carrier participants from the DIAN-TU-001 gantenerumab Open Label Extension (OLE) period with lecanemab to determine the effects of amyloid removal on age of onset and clinical progression compared to external controls, if amyloid plaque as measured by amyloid PET can be fully removed in DIAD, and the effects of amyloid removal on biomarkers of disease progression.

A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Biomarker Effects of RO7269162 in Participants at Risk for or at the Prodromal Stage of Alzheimer's Disease (AD)

This clinical trial is recruiting people who either are at risk of AD - have build-up of beta-amyloid, but have no clinical symptoms, or with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment. People can take part if they have a certain level of plaques (beta-amyloid) in the brain, shown by a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, a medical imaging technique in which tracers are injected to visualize specific pathological processes in the brain. People who take part in this clinical trial (participants) will be given RO7269162 OR placebo for up to about 1 and a half years. The clinical trial team will see them every 3 weeks in the first 3 months and then every 6 weeks until the end of the trial. These hospital visits will include checks to see how the participant responds to the treatment and any side effects they may have. The total time of participation in the clinical trial will be 90 weeks.

PET Imaging of Cyclooxygenases in Neurodegenerative Brain Disease

Background: About 5 million adults in the U.S. have Alzheimer s disease or another adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder. Many studies have found that inflammation in the brain contributes to these diseases. Researchers want to find a better way to measure this inflammation. Objective: To learn whether COX-1 and/or COX-2 is elevated in the brains of individuals with neurodegenerative brain disease compared to healthy volunteers. Eligibility: Adults age 18 years and older in good general health who have an adult-onset neurodegenerative dementia, such as AD, FTD, corticobasal syndrome, Huntington s disease, or MCI, ALS and healthy adult volunteers enrolled in protocols 01-M-0254 or 17-M-0181. Design: Participants will be screened with medical history, physical exam with vital signs, and lab tests. They will have a neuropsychological testing. Their heart function will be measured. Participants will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. The MRI scanner is a metal tube surrounded by a strong magnetic field. Participants will lie on a table that slides in and out of the tube. The machine makes noise. Participants will get earplugs. Participants will have 2 PET scans. They will be injected with the study drugs through an intravenous catheter placed in an arm vein. The PET scanner is shaped like a doughnut. Participants will lie on a bed that slides in and out of the scanner. A plastic mask will be molded to their head to keep them from moving. A thin plastic tube will be put into an artery at the wrist or elbow crease area. This will be used to draw blood during the scan. Participants will have 2-5 study visits. Participation lasts 1 week to 4 months, depending on scheduling.

Attenuation of Postprandial Inflammatory Processes in Alzheimer's Disease Patients by Consumption of Pomace Oil

This research project is based on previous studies suggesting that certain components of olive pomace oil can reduce inflammation in the brain associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer\'s. The current hypothesis proposes that particles carrying dietary fats can trigger inflammation, but if they contain bioactive compounds from olive pomace oil, this inflammatory activity will be reduced. The study aims to recruit 40 adult volunteers, both men and women, diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer\'s. Participants will be divided into two groups based on their blood triglyceride levels. Additionally, 40 healthy individuals with similar ages will be recruited and divided into two groups based on their triglyceride levels. Recruitment will take place at the Neurology Department of Virgen de Valme University Hospital in Dos Hermanas, Sevilla. Participants must have a mild stage of Alzheimer\'s, allowing intervention through diet for prevention or slowing down disease progression. Inclusion criteria include good visual and auditory capabilities, disease monitoring by healthcare professionals, and voluntary written consent approved by the hospital\'s ethics committee. Exclusion criteria involve current medical conditions, medication use (except contraceptives), pregnancy or lactation, systemic diseases, cardiovascular events in the last two years, uncontrolled hypertension in the last six months, cancer in the last five years, recent participation in clinical trials, physical or intellectual limitations, and any connection with the study staff. Participation is voluntary, and participants can withdraw at any time without consequences. The study could benefit Alzheimer\'s patients by reducing brain inflammation and oxidative stress. For healthcare institutions, it may improve care quality and contribute to prevention and treatment policies. Scientifically, it could provide insights into the effects of compounds on Alzheimer\'s patients, potentially leading to new treatment strategies. Olive pomace oil producers may benefit from supporting the oil\'s marketing and usage with health-related information. Overall, the project aims to impact society positively by enhancing disease prevention and treatment. Regarding risks, the study involves minimal blood extraction, posing no significant threat. Participants may experience slight discomfort due to the catheter during the six-hour study period. Follow-up contact may be necessary, but participants have the right to refuse. The study will take place at Virgen de Valme University Hospital (Seville), ensuring immediate attention in case of unexpected issues. A qualified nurse, supervised by a doctor, will conduct the procedures. The study is covered by liability insurance to compensate for any health-related issues or injuries during participation. Two postprandial experiments will be conducted, administering olive pomace oil in one and high-oleic sunflower oil in the other. Blood extractions will occur before and hourly for six hours after participants consume a meal containing the respective oils, accompanied by bread and milk. The food poses no health risks. The blood extraction process involves a simple puncture with inherent risks of any standard blood withdrawal procedure. The participant has the right to clarify any doubts he/she may have at any time and to request more detailed information about the research. To do so, the participant can contact the researchers, whose contact details are at the beginning of this document. If the participant considers that all doubts have been clarified and that he/she is convinced that the he/she wants to participate in this study, he/she can then sign the informed consent form.

A Study of E2814 With Concurrent Lecanemab Treatment in Participants With Early Alzheimer's Disease

The primary objective of the study is to determine the dose response of E2814, when concurrently administered with lecanemab, on the change from baseline at 6 months in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) microtubule-binding region (MTBR)-tau-243 in participants with early Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Development of a Database to Investigate Digital and Blood-Based Biomarkers and Their Relationship to Tau and Amyloid PET Imaging in Older Participants Who Are Cognitively Normal (CN), Have Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), or Have Mild-to-Moderate AD Dementia

Bio-Hermes-002 is a 120-day cross-sectional study that will result in a blood, CSF, retinal, digital, MRI, and PET brain imaging biomarker database that can be used to determine the primary objective. Digital biomarkers and blood-based biomarkers will be tested to determine whether a meaningful relationship exists between biomarkers alone or in combination with tau or amyloid brain pathology identified through PET images.

Use of Wearables for Identifying Factors Associated With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease

Cognitive decline affects millions of older adults worldwide and has a profound impact on individuals, families, and healthcare systems. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is often an early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a condition for which there is currently no cure. Identifying individuals at risk at the earliest possible stage remains a major challenge. Traditional diagnostic approaches, such as laboratory biomarkers, neuroimaging, and neuropsychological testing, are usually performed at a single point in time and may fail to detect subtle or early changes in brain function and daily behavior. Recent advances in wearable technology, such as smartwatches and smart rings, allow continuous and noninvasive monitoring of physiological and behavioral patterns in daily life. These devices can capture data related to physical activity, sleep, heart rate, and other parameters that may change before clear cognitive symptoms become evident. When combined with clinical, laboratory, neuropsychological, neuroimaging, and electroencephalographic (EEG) information, these data may help identify early signs of cognitive decline. The objective of this study is to develop and validate models capable of detecting early indicators of MCI and early-stage Alzheimer's disease by integrating multiple sources of data, including clinical assessments, blood tests, neuropsychological evaluations, brain imaging, EEG recordings, and continuous data obtained from wearable devices. This is an observational, analytical, single-center, prospective cohort study that will include 150 participants of both sexes, aged 65 years or older. Participants will be recruited from the Dementia Outpatient Clinic of Getúlio Vargas University Hospital (HUGV), through referrals from external neurologists, or via study dissemination on social media. To achieve the target sample size, up to 250 individuals may be approached using a non-probabilistic, convenience-based recruitment strategy. After providing informed consent, participants will undergo a comprehensive medical evaluation, standardized and validated neuropsychological testing, laboratory and imaging examinations, and EEG recording. Participants will also receive training to use wearable devices for continuous monitoring in their daily routines. A control group of older adults without cognitive impairment will be included for comparison. All collected data will be securely stored in a centralized database and used to develop and validate analytical models aimed at identifying patterns associated with cognitive decline. The results of this study may support earlier identification of individuals at risk for MCI and Alzheimer's disease, help guide timely interventions, and potentially delay disease progression and early institutionalization, contributing to improved quality of life for older adults and their families.

Retinal Imaging in Neurodegenerative Disease

This study aims to develop and evaluate biomarkers using non-invasive optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) as well as ultra-widefield (UWF) fundus photography to assess the structure and function of the retinal and choroidal microvasculature and structure in persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), or other neurodegenerative disease, diseases as outlined.