Increased activity in the hippocampus (i.e., hyperactivity) during a fMRI memory task was found in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (MCI). Those with increased hippocampal activity exhibited elevated clinical progression. Reducing hippocampal hyperactivity with pharmacological treatment reduced hyperactivity and improved memory performance. The investigators of this study will test whether real-time fMRI neurofeedback will also downregulate hippocampal activity and thereby improve memory performance.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an insidious and progressive neurodegenerative disorder accompanied by extracellular deposits of beta-amyloid ( aβ) and the increase of cognitive dysfunctions. Several functional magnet resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in the prodromal stage of AD (i.e., in MCI) have found increased hippocampal activity during a memory task to be predictive of memory worsening and disease progression. In this study the investigators are aiming to reduce hippocampal hyperactivity with real-time fMRI neurofeedback and test whether this will improve memory performance. This study will use a randomized, single-blind, parallel group design. Patients with MCI and healthy participants will be assigned to receive feedback from either the hippocampus (experimental group, N=42) or from another brain area (alternate ROI feedback group, N=42). All participants will be instructed to downregulate activity.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
84
During real-time fMRI neurofeedback, participants are trained to 'control' hippocampal activity. The training is accomplished by continuously measuring brain activity, analysing it in real-time, and then providing feedback about the current (and the targeted) brain activity to the participant.
During real-time fMRI neurofeedback, participants are trained to 'control' hippocampal activity. The training is accomplished by continuously measuring brain activity, analysing it in real-time, and then providing feedback about the current (and the targeted) brain activity to the participant.
SITEM (Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine)
Bern, Switzerland
University of Zurich
Zurich, Switzerland
Rate of change in hippocampal activity during a memory task
Measured by fMRI (rate of change in activity from baseline to after the intervention)
Time frame: Directly after the intervention
Rate of change in memory performance
Measured by fMRI (memory performance change from baseline to after the intervention)
Time frame: Directly after the intervention
Rate of change from in memory performance (behavioural)
Measured behaviourally (memory performance change from baseline to after the intervention)
Time frame: Directly after the intervention
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