View clinical trials related to Cognitive Function.
Filter by:Impaired metabolism and the gene apolipoprotein E (ApoE) are independent risk factors for cognitive impairment and dementia. In humans, there are three major versions of apoE (E): E2, E3, and E4. Some studies suggest that the different versions of apoE have varying effects on whole body and brain metabolism. The goal of this project is to better understand the relationship between apoE and metabolism. This will help investigators identify new targets for the prevention and treatment of cognitive decline and dementia.
This placebo-controlled RCT tests whether dietary supplementation with curcumin maintains or improves cognitive and physical function in older adults who are at high risk of functional decline due existing (mild) functional impairments and elevated biomarkers of inflammation and explore the association between functional changes and changes in biological indicators of active inflammation.
While deficits in dopamine D2-type receptor availability have been linked to substance use disorders, higher availability associates with better behavioral treatment outcomes for stimulant dependence and resilience to addiction. Varenicline has been shown to upregulate D2-type receptors in drug-naive rats, and could be a useful therapeutic approach for the treatment of addictive disorders in humans. The purpose of the study is to assess the relationship between varenicline, dopamine signaling (specifically, D2-type receptor availability), functional connectivity within corticostriatal circuitry, genetic markers associated with smoking and methamphetamine abuse, and measures of cognitive performance. The investigators hypothesize that varenicline but not placebo will upregulate (increase) striatal dopamine D2-type receptor availability and improve cognition, and that the change in availability will correlate with the change in cognition. The investigators also hypothesize that varenicline but not placebo treatment will repair dysregulated connectivity between the striatum and prefrontal cortex observed in methamphetamine users, and will correlate with the change in cognition. The study design consists of two positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans to measure dopamine D2-type receptor availability and functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and striatum, two cognitive testing sessions including a battery of tests assessing working memory, declarative memory, sustained attention, inhibitory control, and reward-based decision making. Following eligibility screening, thirty six methamphetamine users will be enrolled and tested/scanned once prior to initiation of varenicline or placebo treatment and then again after completion of treatment.
Multiple studies in the spinal cord injury (SCI) population have documented deficits in learning and memory (LM) and processing speed (PS) that adversely impact daily life and the ability to benefit from rehabilitation. The investigators have previously attributed the cognitive deficits demonstrated in the SCI population to low blood pressure (BP) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) and are currently conducting a study to determine the effect of a 30-day elevation in BP (using midodrine hydrochloride - an alpha agonist) on CBF and cognitive performance compared to placebo in hypotensive individuals with SCI. In addition, the investigators believe that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) may improve cognition independent of changes in BP and CBF in individuals with SCI. The current randomized clinical trial (RCT) will examine the efficacy of 2 treatment protocols shown to be effective in improving cognitive performance in other neurologically impaired populations for use in persons with SCI demonstrating (1) LM impairment and/or (2) PS impairment on objective measures of cognitive functioning during a complete Neuropsychological assessment. Two methods of outcome assessment will be used to examine treatment impact: (1) a traditional Neuropsychological assessment (NP) and (2) an assessment of global functioning (AGF) composed of broader outcome measures that examine the impact of the treatment on everyday life activities. In this way, the investigators will be able to objectively evaluate the presence or absence of changes in memory performance through a NP assessment, while also evaluating the impact of this treatment protocol on everyday life through the AGF. While most studies evaluating the efficacy of cognitive retraining usually employ a pre- and post-training evaluation, such evaluations have been criticized for their lack of ecological validity (i.e., real world generalizability). The present design allows the assessment of the efficacy of these treatment techniques within an SCI population using traditional measures, as well as the assessment of the impact that treatment has on everyday life. The investigators will additionally evaluate the long-term efficacy by including a 6-month post-treatment follow-up. Few studies examine long-term effects, but given the time, labor and expense involved, it is critical to demonstrate long-term efficacy.
Anticholinergic and sedative drugs are frequently prescribed to older people, despite their negative impact on older people's physical and cognitive function. To estimate the cumulative exposure to anticholinergic and sedative drugs, Hilmer et al. published the Drug Burden Index (DBI) in 2007. The present study aims to complement previous study findings showing higher DBI values to be associated with physical and cognitive impairment. Most previously conducted studies of the DBI were either cross-sectional or were longitudinal but with short follow-ups. Furthermore, it remains unknown whether higher DBI values carry extra risks for patients with dementia. Finally, relatively little is known about the stability of DBI values over time. The current project therefore aims to examine (1) longitudinal relationships between long-term cumulative exposure to anticholinergic and sedative drugs as measured with the DBI and cognitive and physical function, (2) to examine interaction effects between DBI exposure and dementia, and (3) to examine trajectories of DBI exposure, i.e. DBI exposure remaining stable, declining, increasing or fluctuating over time. These project aims will be studied with longitudinal data from eligible participants > 60 years from the LASA study with participants being followed-up during two decades, and the longitudinal data from the InterRAI consortium. Various clinical outcomes regarding cognitive and physical function will be studied. Data will be analysed with generalised linear mixed models and Latent Class Growth Analysis.
This study is a randomized controlled trial with a main goal to assess the effects of a locally-prepared food for prevention of malnutrition and stunting, in comparison with standard village practices and also a widely available aid food supplement in 8-12 villages in Guinea-Bissau. The supplement intervention will be for 24-30 weeks. The primary outcome will be cognitive tests of executive function. Secondary outcomes will be changes in standard anthropometric benchmarks of growth, hemoglobin and skin carotenoids in young children living in villages in rural Guinea-Bissau. This is a within-village randomization at the level of the family, and all children will receive a dietary intervention.
The BrainFit Study aims to examine acute effects of High Intensity Interval- vs Resistance or Combined program has benefits on Cognitive Function as well as on secretion and regulation of neurotrophic factors or neurotrophins in a cohort of sedentary, overweight adults (aged 18-30 years) from Bogota, Colombia.
Dysregulation of blood pressure (BP), secondary to decentralized autonomic nervous system (ANS) control of the cardiovascular system, often results in chronic hypotension and orthostatic hypotension (OH) in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), particularly in those with high cord lesions (i.e., above T6). While most hypotensive individuals with chronic SCI remain asymptomatic and do not complain of symptoms associated with cerebral hypoperfusion, evidence of reduced resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) has been reported in association with low systemic BP in the SCI and non-SCI populations. Reduced CBF in hypotensive individuals may lead to cognitive dysfunction, and we reported significantly impaired memory and marginally impaired attention processing in hypotensive individuals with SCI compared to a normotensive SCI cohort. Furthermore, we found that CBF was not increased during cognitive testing in individuals with SCI, which may contribute to impaired cognitive function compared to non-SCI controls. Although asymptomatic hypotension may have an adverse impact on cognitive function and quality of quality of life (QOL) clinical management of this condition is extremely low. In fact, we reported that while nearly 40% of Veterans with SCI were hypotensive, less than 1% carried the diagnosis of hypotension or were prescribed an anti-hypotensive medication. The discrepancy between incidence and treatment of asymptomatic hypotension in the SCI population may relate to a paucity of treatment options which are supported by rigorous clinical trials documenting safe and effective use of anti-hypotensive therapy on BP, CBF and cognitive function. We hypothesize these study medications may increase systolic blood pressure to the normal range and improve cerebral blood flow velocity. Results and conclusions will not be removed from the record.
The purpose of FiSK Junior is to investigate whether intake of oily fish compared to poultry affects cardiovascular risk markers, cognitive function, and behaviour in healthy children.
The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on subjects' pan CD4+ T cell function, cognition, and muscle function. Half of the participants will receive fish oil, while the other half will receive a placebo (olive oil).