Multimodal Assesment of Alzheimer Patients

Norwegian University of Science and Technology60 enrolled

Overview

The goal of this study is to learn more about the changes in the brains of patients with cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The main questions the study aims to answer are: 1. What findings can be used to earlier detect patients that will develop Alzheimers? 2. Which differences are seen between healthy and cognitively impaired patients? 3. Which differences are seen between patients with Alzheimers disease? Participants will undergo: * Cognitive tests * Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) * Electroencephalography (EEG) * Blood sample collection * Fecal sample collection * A randomized group will undergo polysomnography analysis.

The projects aims to map brain changes in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) by combining different assesment modalities. In the MRI, researchers will get the opportunity to analyse both structural and functional brain changes. In the EEG, changes in elctrical activites will be measured. The blood samples allow researchers to analyse specific dementia and inflammation proteins, while fecal speciments can be used to assess bacterial composition. Additionally, the cognitive testing allow to assess the specific part of cognitive function which is affected.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Mild Cognitive Impairment Alzheimer Disease, Late Onset Cognitive Impairment Dementia

Interventions

MRI ScanningDEVICE

MRI scanning with volumetric, resting and activity-based sequences.

64-channel EEGDEVICE

EEG to quantifiy electric activity.

PolysomnographyDEVICE

A randomized group will undergo polysomnography.

Blood samplesBIOLOGICAL

Analysis of specific blood biomarkers.

Fecal samplesBIOLOGICAL

Analysis of bacterial composition.

Cognitive testsBEHAVIORAL

Interview-based cognitive tests for assesment of cognitive levels.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 65 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * MCI and AD according to relevant ICD-criterias. * Control cohort is age and gender matched with other cohorts. Exclusion Criteria: * Uneligibility for any of the planned neuroimagery devices (MRI, EEG) * AD diagnosis before the age of 65 (Early-onset AD). * Brain tumor * Traumtic head injury * Earlier neurosurgery * Other neyrodegenerative diseases (i.e Parkinson and ALS) * Diseases related to inflammation and auto-immunity (i.e MS)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

MCI-AD converters

Identify biomarker profiles unique for patients with MCI that develop AD for earlier prediction.

Time frame: 5 years

AD-subclassification

Identify biomarker profiles that can assist in a more thorough AD-classification