The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of supplementing Magnesium L-Threonate in people with mild to moderate dementia. The investigators' goal is to understand whether Magnesium L-Threonate will be associated with improvement in memory and brain function.
Emerging research on the effects of a novel magnesium compound of L-Threonic Acid Magnesium Salt (L-TAMS) containing Vitamins C and D on cognitive performance suggests that supplementation may benefit individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). This proof of concept will assess whether supplementation with Magtein (MGT), a constant release formula of Magnesium L-threonate, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D, is associated with changes in regional cerebral metabolism in elderly people with mild to moderate dementia. This is an open-label, two-month trial consisting of 15-20 participants aged 60 and older with mild to moderate dementia. Subjects will receive 1,800 mg/day of MgT-1219 for a total of 60 days. They will be given neurocognitive testing, blood chemistries, and FDG-PET imaging at baseline, 60 days and more testing at 180 days to assess the acute effect of MgT-1219 on hippocampal and PFC-mediated executive function, attention, reasoning, and memory. Blood draws will be conducted prior to treatment initiation to assess kidney and liver function, complete blood count, fasting plasma insulin, and red blood cell magnesium. Our outcome measures include a combination of neuropsychological testing and neuroimaging. These will be employed to measure changes in the degree of cognitive impairment within subjects over time, as well as between subjects in the intervention and control groups. FDG-PET imaging will be used to assess the degree of synaptic activity and density within subjects at different time points in the study. These measures will be supplemented by measures of, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, depression, and activities of daily living.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
17
Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Stanford, California, United States
Change From Baseline in Cognitive Function
Neurocognitive assessment - Domain-specific composite scores for the four following cognitive areas include: 1a) Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - cognitive subscale (ADAS-COG) (min: 0, max: 70, higher = better, units on a scale) 1b) Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) (min: 0, max : 30, higher = better, units on a scale) 1c) Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) (min: 40, max: 160, higher = better, units on a scale) 1d) Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Fourth edition (WAIS-IV) (min: 85 , max: 115, higher = better, units on a scale)
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months
Change From Baseline in Cognitive Function (DKEFS Color-Word Test)
1\) Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Color-Word Test (DKEFS, assesses executive functioning): no minimum or maximum set, higher is worse, total number of errors
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months
Change From Baseline in Cognitive Function (DKEFS - Trail 4)
This is a graphomotor test comprised of 5 conditions. Condition 4 (Number Letter Switching) is a measure of cognitive flexibility
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Change From Baseline in CMRgl
Brain imaging focusing on the following anatomical regions: medial temporal region (including hippocampus and entorhinal cortex), prefrontal cortex, parietotemporal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex. Increases in the summary index sROI have been shown to track AD-related CMRgl declines. We will be focusing on changes in the cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRgl) from baseline to day 67.
Time frame: Baseline to Day 67
RBC Magnesium Chemistry
Magnesium (mg/dl) in red blood cells
Time frame: Baseline and 6 months
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