Below you can find out who would qualify for participation and the tests involved with each study:
Advanced Glycation Ed Products (AGEs) and Alzheimer's Disease
GCO#03-0568
IRB approved 8/26/05 - 7/31/06
PI: Michal Schnaider Beeri, Ph.D.
Sponsor: National Institute on Aging
Who can participate?
Anyone over the age of 90 who is not experiencing memory problems, and is not on medication for their memory is eligible to participate. All assessments can be completed at the participant's residence at the participant's convenience.
What does participating involve?
We will ask questions about the age, sex, year of birth and/or death (if applicable), memory problems, and mental health of the participants and their parents, siblings, and children. We will also ask questions about the participants' memory, judgment, home, hobbies, education, community affairs and personal care, including dietary habits.
We will also conduct several tasks that will measure participants' skill level related to memory and thinking. The tasks will involve picture identification, vocabulary, and simple paper and pencil tasks. We will collect a small amount of blood (less than 3.5 tablespoons) from every participant to identify parts of the blood (genetic material and other chemicals in the blood) that may be related to the protection against Alzheimer's Disease. As a courtesy we will send all blood results, with the exception of genetic testing, to a physician specified by the participant.
Participants can participate in any or all portions of the study, and reimbursement will be provided for completion of the memory and thinking tasks and the blood sample. Participation is confidential and voluntary, and participants are free to withdraw from the study at any time.
For more information contact:
Janice Graboso
Research Coordinator
718-584-9000 x6150
janice.graboso@mssm.edu
Age at Onset and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Very Late Onset Alzheimer's Disease
GCO# 79-141, Project 4
IRB approved 4/1/06- 3/31/07
PI: Jeremy Silverman, Ph.D.
Sponsor: National Institute on Aging
Who can participate?
Any male veteran receiving treatment at the James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the Bronx who is 75 years of age or older who meets all of the following criteria:
- no evidence of dementia, or medication for memory problems
- no history of stroke
- no clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia
Assessments can be completed at our offices at the VA Medical Center, or at the participant's home at a time convenient for the participant.
What does participating involve?
We will ask questions about the age, sex, year of birth and/or death (if applicable), memory problems, and mental health of the participants and their parents, siblings, and children. We will also ask questions about the participants' memory, judgment, home, hobbies, education, community affairs and personal care, including dietary habits.
We will also conduct several tasks that will measure participants' skill level related to memory and thinking. The tasks will involve picture identification, vocabulary, and simple paper and pencil tasks. We will collect a small amount of blood (less than 3.5 tablespoons) from every participant to identify parts of the blood (genetic material and other chemicals in the blood) that may be related to the protection against Alzheimer's disease. As a courtesy we will send all blood results, with the exception of genetic testing, to a physician specified by the participant.
This study also includes two optional components that must be completed at the James J. Peters Medical Center :
• An echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) and an ultrasound study of the neck and leg arteries will be done. This is a non-invasive (does not break the skin) and painless study which uses sound waves to look at the heart and blood vessels. We will also measure the contraction and relaxation of the wrist pulse; this does not use any needles, and is painless.
• An MRI scan of the brain will be done. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to provide pictures of organs and structures inside the body. In many cases, MRI provides information that cannot be obtained from other imaging methods.
Participants can participate in any or all portions of the study, and reimbursement will be provided for completion of the memory and thinking tasks, the blood sample, the echocardiogram, and the MRI. Participation is confidential and voluntary, and participants are free to withdraw from the study at any time.
For more information contact:
Natasha Malik
Research Coordinator
718-584-9000 x2785
natasha.malik@mssm.edu
Christine Hannigan
Research Coordinator
718-584-9000 x5707
christine.hannigan@mssm.edu
Cognitive Function in Offspring of Hispanic Oldest-Old
GCO#04-0100
IRB Approved 9/1/05 - 8/31/06
PI: José Carrión-Baralt, Ph.D.
Sponsor: National Institute on Aging
Who can participate?
Non-demented nonagenarians. This group includes anyone aged 90 years or older with no dementia who have at least one offspring over age 60 and available for study; If the spouse of the proband has (or had, if deceased) a diagnosis of dementia, the proband will not be eligible for this group.
Nonagenarians with AD. NAD subjects will be eligible for study if they have:
a) an age that is 90 years or greater
b) a Clinical Dementia Rating of "mild" dementia or higher
c) age of onset of dementia 85+ years
d) have no known cerebrovascular disease; and
e) at least one living 60+ year old offspring potentially available for direct study.
Probands will be excluded from this group if their spouse qualifies or would have qualified (by family history assessment) for the non-demented group (i.e. nondemented and above the age of 90).
Offspring. This group will be recruited without regard to cognitive status. This group will consist of all natural offspring of the abovementioned groups who are over age 60. We will exclude from the study offspring with a medical or related condition precluding the ability to determine current cognitive state or precluding assessment.
What does participating involve?
We will ask questions about the age, sex, year of birth and/or death (if applicable), memory problems, and mental health of the participants and their parents, siblings, and children. We will also ask questions about the participants' memory, judgment, home, hobbies, education, community affairs and personal care, including dietary habits.
We will also conduct several tasks that will measure participants' skill level related to memory and thinking. The tasks will involve picture identification, vocabulary, and simple paper and pencil tasks. We will collect a small amount of blood (less than 3.5 tablespoons) from every participant to identify parts of the blood for genetic testing. Participation is confidential and voluntary, and participants are free to withdraw from the study at any time.
For more information contact:
Josefina Melendez
Research Coordinator
jmelendez.phd@gmail.com
Successful Cognitive Aging Phenotypes in the Founder Population of Costa Rica
GCO# 03-0078 (1&2)
IRB approved 7/1/05- 6/30/06
PI: Jeremy Silverman, Ph.D.
Sponsor: Alzheimer's Association/ National Institute on Aging
Who can participate?
Non-demented nonagenarians. This group includes anyone aged 90 years or older with no dementia who have at least one offspring over age 60 and available for study; If the spouse of the proband has (or had, if deceased) a diagnosis of dementia, the proband will not be eligible for this group.
Nonagenarians with AD. NAD subjects will be eligible for study if they have:
a) an age that is 90 years or greater
b) a Clinical Dementia Rating of "mild" dementia or higher
c) age of onset of dementia 85+ years
d) have no known cerebrovascular disease; and
e) at least one living 60+ year old offspring potentially available for direct study.
Probands will be excluded from this group if their spouse qualifies or would have qualified (by family history assessment) for the non-demented group (i.e. nondemented and above the age of 90).
Young Non-demented. This group must be between 60 and 70 years old and have at least one living sibling 60 to 75 years old willing to participate in the study. This group will be defined as having no memory problems and having nondemented, already deceased parents neither of whom lived to age 90.
The Offspring and Sibling Groups will be recruited without regard to cognitive status. Those groups will consist of all natural offspring of the Nonagenarian groups over age 60 and the 60 to 75 year old siblings of the Young Non-demented group.
What does participating involve?
We will ask questions about the age, sex, year of birth and/or death (if applicable), memory problems, and mental health of the participants and their parents, siblings, and children. We will also ask questions about the participants' memory, judgment, home, hobbies, education, community affairs and personal care, including dietary habits.
We will also conduct several tasks that will measure participants' skill level related to memory and thinking. The tasks will involve picture identification, vocabulary, and simple paper and pencil tasks. We will collect a small amount of blood (less than 3.5 tablespoons) from every participant to identify parts of the blood for genetic testing. Participation is confidential and voluntary, and participants are free to withdraw from the study at any time.
For more information contact:
Luis Corrales
Study Psychologist
luemcoc@costarricense.cr
Mariana Castro
Study Psychologist
marianaucr@hotmail.com
If you would like more information about any of the aforementioned studies, please contact us: