Imaging of Cognition, Learning, and Memory in Aging

October 30, 2017 updated by: Yaakov Stern
This investigation is designed to study how the brain functions when it is performing explicit memory tasks, and furthermore how the brain systems supporting performance on these tests change as a function of aging. Implicit memory tasks may be distinguished from explicit memory tests in that explicit memory characterizes the directed or intentional recollection of previously learned information or events. In contrast, implicit (or nonconscious) memory is expressed in the facilitation of performance on some task or judgment on a stimulus owing to a prior presentation of that stimulus, without any necessary conscious awareness of the prior presentation. The investigators propose to use functional Magnetic resonance Imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity during the performance of carefully designed explicit memory tasks. Comparison of brain activity during the different test conditions will provide information about the brain areas that are involved in mediating specific aspects of performance. Both older and younger individuals will be tested in order to understand age related changes in the brain activity. In order to examine the interactions between participants' differential levels of amyloid burden and their performance on cognitive tasks and fMRI neural activation, the investigators also propose PET imaging of older participants.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The basic approach to measuring the brain activity associated with a given cognitive process (or processes) is as follows: It is known that increases in brain neuronal activity are associated with local increases in energy metabolism. Under normal circumstances, increases in brain metabolism lead to local changes in blood oxygenation in venules and larger veins. This change in blood oxygenation can be detected imaging methods which are sensitive to the differences in magnetic state between oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin.

The ultimate benefit of this research is to better understand how changes in both performance and the brain organization underlying that performance are affected by aging.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

294

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10032
        • Columbia University Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

20 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Subjects will be recruited from ads placed in local newspapers and notices posted in the vicinity of Columbia University, the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, and in local senior centers that provide written consent for notice placement. We will also utilize a market mailing approach. Letters will be sent to appropriately aged potential subjects randomly selected from commercial lists. Additional elderly subjects will be recruited from the Sergievsky Joint Database. Informed consent will be elicited from all subjects.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Aged 20-30 or 60-70
  • Residing near Columbia University Medical Center
  • Must be willing and able to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Have a contraindication to PET (e.g, metallic implants, pacemaker, claustrophobia, or cannot lie flat for one hour)
  • Pregnancy
  • Lactating Women
  • Current, past, or anticipated exposure to radiation
  • Significant active physical illness

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Participants aged 60-70
Participants age 60-70 will receive Florbetaben PET tracer to identify presence of amyloid burden.
Drug: Florbetaben
This is a purely observational study. Results of the Florbetaben PET scan will be correlated with other observations.
Other Names:
  • F-18 BAY
Participants aged 20-30
Younger participants will not undergo PET scanning that will be studied with other methods.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cognition as measured with cognitive evaluations
Time Frame: cross sectional
We will assess the relationship between the presence of amyloid and cognition as measured with standard cognitive and neuropsychological tests
cross sectional

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Yaakov Stern

Collaborators

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

March 1, 2011

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

October 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 14, 2011

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 15, 2011

First Posted (Estimate)

February 16, 2011

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 1, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 30, 2017

Last Verified

October 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • AAAB0596
  • R01AG026158 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

De-identified data could be shared based on NIH regulations

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Study data will be available within 1 year

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

We will be sharing de-identified data with a consortium that is aggregating studies that have employed amyloid PET tracers

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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