Research

The physicians in the Center for Memory and Cognition have produced a voluminous amount of publications in the form of articles in prestigious peer-reviewed journals and book chapters, as well as major books in the field, for example, Diagnostic Criteria in Neurology and the Little Black Book of Neurology: A Manual for Neurologic House Officers.

Members of the Center’s team also are committed to studying and developing promising therapeutics in the field of memory and cognition.

A few of our current projects are:

  • Research drug studies in Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia.
  • Assessment of caregiving methods
  • Multiple studies of the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease

Current Clinical Trials

Memantine (10mg BID) for the Frontal and Temporal Subtypes of Frontotemporal Dementia
The primary objective of the study is to determine whether memantine is effective in slowing the rate of behavioral decline in frontotemporal dementia.

A Phase 3 Study Evaluating Safety and Effectiveness of Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV 10%) for the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Alzheimer´s Disease
The purpose of this study is to determine whether IGIV, 10% treatment, administered at two different doses for 9 and 18 months, results in a significantly slower rate of decline of dementia symptoms in subjects with mild to moderate Alzheimer´s Disease (AD). Subjects will be randomly assigned to receive intravenous infusions of either of two doses of IGIV, 10% or placebo every two weeks for 70 weeks (36 infusions) as an add-on to conventional Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved AD medications.

Randomized, Controlled Study Evaluating CERE-110 in Subjects With Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential benefits of CERE-110 in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. CERE-110 is an experimental drug that is designed to help nerve cells in the brain function better. CERE-110 uses a virus to transfer a gene that makes Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), a protein that may make nerve cells in the brain healthier and protect them from dying. The virus used in CERE-110 does not cause disease in people. CERE-110 has been carefully studied in laboratory animals and is in the early stages of being tested in people.

Patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease will participate in this study. Half of the study subjects will have CERE-110 injected into the brain during a surgical procedure, while the other half will undergo a "placebo" surgery where no medication will be injected. All study participants will be followed for at least two years after surgery.

Cataract Removal and Alzheimer's Disease
Two very common aging-related diseases in older adults are Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cataracts. In elderly adults, these two diseases frequently occur in the same person. Although a cure for AD is currently unavailable, cataracts can be effectively treated with surgery in most people. The removal of cataracts has documented benefits for visual performance and for reducing accidents and falls. However, it has been the experience of the ophthalmologists, and others in the field, that patients, caregivers, and primary care doctors are reluctant to proceed with cataracts surgery once an individual is given the diagnosis of AD. It is thought that cataract surgery will not improve the AD patient's quality of life, vision, and cognition. The investigators have designed this study to determine whether or not this is true.

Risk Factors for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is the most common atypical parkinsonian movement disorder. This study will determine the role of specific genetic, occupational and environmental components in the development of PSP by evaluating patients with this disorder and age and gender matched controls.

Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Grand Opportunity (ADNI-GO)
The purpose of this study is to build upon the information obtained in the original Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI1), to examine how brain imaging technology can be used with other tests to measure the progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer's disease (AD). ADNI-GO seeks to define and characterize the mildest symptomatic phase of AD, referred to in this study as early amnestic MCI (EMCI). This information will aid in the early detection of AD, and in measuring the effectiveness of treatments in future clinical trials.

Contact Information

If you are interested in one of our clinical trials, please call 216-464-6412.