View Clinical Trial (Medical Research Study)
Effects of Memantine on the Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Measures of Neuronal Integrity in Subjects at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
| City: |
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New York |
| State: |
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New York |
| Zip Code: |
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10016 |
| Conditions: |
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Alzheimer's Disease |
| Purpose: |
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Recent data show that marked cell damage precedes the clinical manifestation of Alzheimer's
disease (AD). Hence, targeting populations at risk with pharmacological interventions is a
possible strategy to lessen the burden of the disease. Cognitively normal individuals with
subjective memory complaints (SMC) manifest biological characteristics consistent with early
AD and are at risk for future cognitive decline. Family history of AD also constitutes a
risk. In a previous study the investigators showed that memantine slows down the
accumulation of phosphorylated tau in normal SMC subjects. Using a multivoxel high field MR
spectroscopy (MRS) technique, the investigators also demonstrated that memantine decreased
hippocampal glutamate. Both these findings may be consistent with the drug's
anti-excitotoxic activity. In this new project the investigators propose to treat a sample
of 12 presymptomatic individuals at risk (SMC and family history of AD) with memantine. This
will be a double blind, placebo controlled study with a control group (12 non-treated
subjects). The investigators will determine whether the effects of memantine as assessed by
cognitive performance and MRS are present after 4 months of treatment and persist 2 months
after discontinuation. MRS will be used to evaluate the effect of memantine on levels of the
neurotransmitter glutamate and neuronal viability marker N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in the
hippocampus. The investigators will test the following hypotheses:
1. In subjects with SMC, memantine has modifying effects on brain biochemistry as
reflected in MRS reductions in glutamate (reduced excitotoxicity) and increases in NAA
(neuronal integrity).
2. The effects of the drug persist (as a marker of sustained neuroprotection) and can be
measured 2 months after discontinuation of the treatment.
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| Study Summary: |
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| Criteria: |
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Inclusion Criteria:
- presence of subjective memory complaints without objective evidence of impaired
cognition
- family history of Alzheimer's disease
Exclusion Criteria:
- major depression
- Parkinson's disease
- stroke
- seizures
- uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension
- current benzodiazepine use
- substance abuse
- contraindication for MRI
- contraindications for memantine
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| NCT ID: |
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NCT00933608 |
| Primary Contact: |
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Principal Investigator
Lidia Glodzik, MD PhD
NYU School of Medicine
Lidia Glodzik, MD PhD
Phone: 212-263-5698
Email: Lidia.Glodzik@nyumc.org
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| Backup Contact: |
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N/A |
| Location Contact: |
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New York, New York 10016
United States
Lidia Glodzik, MD, PhD
Phone: 212-263-5698
Site Status: Recruiting |
| Data Source: |
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ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Date Processed: |
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May 17, 2013 |
| Modifications to this listing: |
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