Clinical Research Directory

Cognition, Flavonoids, Exercise, Gut Microbiome

This NIH project will examine the effects of routine flavonoid-rich blueberry intake (12-weeks), combined with or in the absence of regular moderate exercise, on cognitive function in a clinical population of older participants identified as experiencing age-related cognitive changes. This project's hypothesis is that the combination of flavonoid-rich diet and routine physical activity may potentiate cognitive benefits and reduce cognitive decline in an aging population, via mechanisms mediated by the gut microbiome.

Fasudil Trial for Treatment of Early Alzheimer's Disease (FEAD)

The goal of this placebo-controlled double-blind Phase 2 clinical trial is to test in people with early Alzheimer's Disease. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does treatment with fasudil, a ROCK-inhibitor, lead to significant improvement in working memory (based on computer-based working memory composite scores) compared to placebo in individuals with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) over 12 months? * What is the effect of fasudil treatment for 12 months on other cognitive functions, brain metabolism measured by Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET), and other relevant clinical functions and biomarkers in individuals with early Alzheimer's disease (AD)? * Treatment will be escalated to a maintenance dose of 120 mg total daily dose for up to 50 weeks, with regular clinic visits for efficacy and safety evaluations. * Assessments will include cognitive tests, FDG-PET scans, and biomarker analyses, with follow-up by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board for ongoing safety review. The study will compare participants receiving fasudil with those receiving placebo to see if fasudil treatment leads to improvements in cognitive functions, brain metabolism measured by FDG-PET.