Daily Light and Sound Stimulation to Improve Brain Functions in Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer Disease Clinical Trial

Official title: Chronic Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease With Gamma Frequency Stimulation

Status Active, not recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

In this trial, the safety and effect of daily exposure to light and sound stimulation on people with mild Alzheimer's Disease (AD) will be studied.

COVID-19 Amendment: Due to the ongoing suspension of all in-person humans subject research across MIT in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all enrolled participants who have not completed their 6-month visit will have their visit postponed to 9 months with a follow up at 18 months. Subjects who have completed their 6-month visit will still be instructed to continue and return at Month 12 for an evaluation.

OPTIONAL: If the subject would like to come in for an evaluation between Month 9 and 18, we will invite participants to come on Month 12 to complete cognitive testing and EEG.

Clinical Trial Description

After screening for eligibility, subjects will be randomized into one of two study groups in a 1:1 ratio. Each subject will use a non-invasive light and sound device, called the GENUS device, at home for 1 hour per day for 6 or 9 months. The GENUS device, which is composed of a panel with light-emitting diode (LED) illumination and speakers for auditory stimulation, delivers light and sound at different frequencies.

Subjects in the first group will use the device with active settings, and subjects in the second group will use the device with sham settings. After 6 or 9 months of the daily usage of the device, all subjects will be given an option to continue the daily usage for additional 6 or 9 months. For these additional 6 or 9 months, the device will be set to active settings for all subjects who choose to remain in the study.

Over the first 6 or 9 months, cognitive, mental health and memory evaluations will be performed at baseline, after 1 month, after 3 months, and after 6 or 9 months of daily usage of the device. Blood draws as well as hearing and vision tests will be performed at baseline and after 6 or 9 months of daily usage of the device. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalogram (EEG) will also be performed at baseline, after 3 months, and after 6 or 9 months of daily usage of the device. For subjects who choose to continue the daily usage of the device for additional 6 or 9 months, MRI, EEG as well as cognitive, mental health and memory evaluations will be performed at the end of the 6 or 9 additional months of daily usage. One month after the completion of the daily usage, EEG as well as cognitive, mental health and memory evaluations will be performed (this will be 7 or 10 months after the start of the study for subjects who choose not to continue the daily usage of the device after the initial 6 or 9 months; this will be 13 or 19 months after the start of the study for subjects who choose to continue the daily usage of the device for additional 6 or 9 months after the initial 6 or 9 months).

Participants who complete the study protocol and finish the final study visit at Month 12 or 19 will be offered a long-term extension for a total of 36 months with yearly follow up evaluations. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Alzheimer Dementia
• Alzheimer Disease

• NCT number: NCT04055376
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: August 14, 2019
• Completion date: April 30, 2025