This database contains 102 studies, archived under the term: "pilot projects"
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Increased CSF APPs-α levels in patients with Alzheimer disease treated with acitretin
Endres, Kristina,
Fahrenholz, Falk,
Lotz, Johannes,
Hiemke, Christoph,
Teipel, Stefan,
Lieb, Klaus,
Tüscher, Oliver,
Fellgiebel, Andreas
Objective: We investigated induction of α-secretase A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) by the synthetic retinoid acitretin (Neotigason; Actavis, München-Riem, Germany) in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease (AD) via measurement of CSF content of α-secretase-derived amyloid precursor protein (APPs-α).; Methods: Twenty-one patients clinically diagnosed with mild to moderate AD received acitretin (30 mg […]
Toward onset prevention of cognitive decline in adults with Down syndrome (the TOP-COG study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Cooper, Sally-Ann,
Caslake, Muriel,
Evans, Jonathan,
Hassiotis, Angela,
Jahoda, Andrew,
McConnachie, Alex,
Morrison, Jill,
Ring, Howard,
Starr, John,
Stiles, Ciara,
Sullivan, Frank
Background: Early-onset dementia is common in Down syndrome adults, who have trisomy 21. The amyloid precursor protein gene is on chromosome 21, and so is over-expressed in Down syndrome, leading to amyloid β (Aβ) over-production, a major upstream pathway leading to Alzheimer disease (AD). Statins (microsomal 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors), have pleiotropic effects including […]
Comparisons of plasma/serum micronutrients between Okinawan and Oregonian elders: a pilot study
Dodge, Hiroko H.,
Katsumata, Yuriko,
Todoriki, Hidemi,
Yasura, Shoutoku,
Willcox, D. Craig,
Bowman, Gene L.,
Willcox, Bradley,
Leonard, Scott,
Clemons, Aaron,
Oken, Barry S.,
Kaye, Jeffrey A.,
Traber, Maret G.
Certain micronutrients are protective against cognitive decline. We examined whether there is any uniform pattern of circulating micronutrients cross-culturally that are associated with successful cognitive aging. For the U.S. sample, we used the stored serum/plasma of 115 participants, collected in Oregon, USA. The Okinawa sample consisted of 49 participants selected using similar inclusion criteria as […]
Can a tailored exercise and home hazard reduction program reduce the rate of falls in community dwelling older people with cognitive impairment: protocol paper for the i-FOCIS randomised controlled trial
Close, Jacqueline C. T.,
Wesson, Jacqueline,
Sherrington, Catherine,
Hill, Keith D.,
Kurrle, Sue,
Lord, Stephen R.,
Brodaty, Henry,
Howard, Kirsten,
Gitlin, Laura N,
O'Rourke, Sandra D.,
Clemson, Lindy
Background: The rate of falls in community dwelling older people with cognitive impairment (CI) is twice that of a cognitively intact population, with almost two thirds of people with CI falling annually. Studies indicate that exercise involving balance and/or a home hazard reduction program are effective in preventing falls in cognitively intact older people. However […]
Preserving Identity and Planning for Advance Care (PIPAC): preliminary outcomes from a patient-centered intervention for individuals with mild dementia
Hilgeman, Michelle M.,
Allen, Rebecca S.,
Snow, A. Lynn,
Durkin, Daniel W.,
DeCoster, Jamie,
Burgio, Louis D.
Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to conduct limited-efficacy testing of the newly developed Preserving Identity and Planning for Advance Care (PIPAC) intervention on self-reported and proxy-reported emotional and health-related outcomes of individuals in the early stages of dementia.; Method: A two-group comparison design was implemented. Blocked randomization was used to assign individuals […]
Life enhancing activities for family caregivers of people with frontotemporal dementia
Dowling, Glenna A.,
Merrilees, Jennifer,
Mastick, Judy,
Chang, Vickie Y.,
Hubbard, Erin,
Moskowitz, Judith Tedlie
Aberrant psychological and behavioral symptoms are common in patients with dementia. These symptoms have negative consequences for family caregivers, causing stress and burden. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) symptoms cause more pronounced stress and burden on caregivers than those associated with Alzheimer dementia. In this randomized, attention control pilot study, we delivered 5-weekly, one-on-one, positive affect intervention […]
A randomized pilot clinical trial of the safety of pioglitazone in treatment of patients with Alzheimer disease
Objectives: To evaluate the safety of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonist pioglitazone in nondiabetic patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and to explore treatment effect sizes on clinical outcomes.; Design: Double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized controlled trial of 18-month duration.; Setting: Two academic medical center outpatient clinics.; Patients: Nondiabetic patients meeting research criteria for probable AD were […]
Efficacy of PPAR-γ agonist pioglitazone in mild Alzheimer disease
Sato, Tomohiko,
Hanyu, Haruo,
Hirao, Kentaro,
Kanetaka, Hidekazu,
Sakurai, Hirofumi,
Iwamoto, Toshihiko
To test the effects of the PPAR-γ agonist pioglitazone on cognition, regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and plasma levels of Aβ40 and Aβ42, we conducted a 6-month, randomized, open-controlled trial in patients with mild Alzheimer disease (AD) accompanied with type II diabetes mellitus. We randomly assigned 42 patients to either the group treated with 15-30 […]
Palliative assessment and advance care planning in severe dementia: an exploratory randomized controlled trial of a complex intervention
Sampson, Elizabeth L.,
Jones, Louise,
Thuné-Boyle, Ingela C. V.,
Kukkastenvehmas, Riitta,
King, Michael,
Leurent, Baptiste,
Tookman, Adrian,
Blanchard, Martin R.
Patients with advanced dementia often receive poor end-of-life care. We aimed to design and pilot a palliative care and advance care plan (ACP) intervention. Patients had undergone emergency hospital admission and had severe dementia. The intervention consisted of a palliative care patient assessment which informed an ACP discussion with the carer, who was offered the […]
Cognitive training changes hippocampal function in mild cognitive impairment: a pilot study
A randomized pilot experiment examined the neural substrates of response to cognitive training in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Participants performed exercises previously demonstrated to improve verbal memory and an active control group performed other computer activities. An auditory-verbal fMRI task was conducted before and after the two-month training program. Verbal memory scores improved […]