Dopaminergic Enhancement of Learning and Memory in Healthy Adults and Patients With Dementia/Mild Cognitive Impairment

Healthy Clinical Trial

Official title: Dopaminergic Enhancement of Learning and Memory (LL_001, Project on Dementia/MCI)

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

This study aims to determine whether levodopa is effective in boosting learning and memory in healthy subjects and patients with dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment.

We also examine in healthy subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging which brain regions mediate improved learning after levodopa administration.

Clinical Trial Description

Prior work of our group shows that the dopamine precursor levodopa markedly improves word learning success in healthy subjects. In this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial, we probe whether administration of levodopa improves learning performance as compared to placebo administration on neuropsychological tests and in an associative learning paradigm. We postulate that levodopa improves learning success and memory performance in healthy subjects, while the effect in patients with dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment might depend on other factors, including severity of memory impairment. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment, Masking: Double-Blind, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Alzheimer Disease
• Alzheimer's Disease
• Cognition Disorders
• Healthy
• Mild Cognitive Impairment

• NCT number: NCT00306124
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University Hospital Muenster
• Contact: Bernward Winter, MSc
• Phone: +49-251-83
• Email: bwinter@uni-muenster.de
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 4
• Start date: January 2006
• Completion date: March 2008