The purpose of this study was to see if taking lipoic acid plus omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3s) can slow the Alzheimer's disease (AD) process. To see if the treatment can slow the AD process, the investigators looked at changes in memory and changes in a person's daily activities over 18 months.
Current pharmacological agents for AD have had no impact on disease prevalence and have had limited effects on improving the clinical course of AD. The exponential rise in the prevalence, incidence, and cost of care for AD make finding therapeutic agents that can either prevent AD or delay disease progression an urgent health care need. Since inflammation, lipid dysregulation, and insulin resistance have each been associated with AD pathology, the combination of lipoic acid plus fish oil has the potential to maximize therapeutic benefit by acting on all three mechanisms associated with disease pathology.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
67
Lipoic acid (600 milligrams per day) and fish oil concentrate (3 grams per day) for 18 months
Placebo LA and placebo oil capsules for 18 months
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, Oregon, United States
Change From Baseline in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) at 18 Months
The Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADCS-ADL) is used to assess activities of daily living in people with AD using a structured interview to ask the AD participant's caregiver/study partner to assess functional ability over a wide range of performance measures. A higher ADL score indicates greater impairment in functional ability; scores range from 0 to 27.
Time frame: Baseline and 18 months
Change From Baseline in Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-cog) at 18 Months
The ADAS-cog assesses general cognitive function over multiple domains and evaluates memory, attention, reasoning, language, orientation, and praxis. A higher score indicates greater impairment on a range of scores from 0 to 70. A total score of 70 indicates maximum severity.
Time frame: Baseline and 18 months
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.