What Is Dementia?
Dementia is an umbrella term for a variety of conditions that cause progressive damage to the brain. It is a symptom that occurs in over 100 conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, vascular dementia or Lewy Body dementia.
Dementia can begin as a gradual or step-wise decrease in your memory, ability to retrieve words or name things or ability to perform your daily activities. Dementia may also cause personality changes and mood problems.
Diagnosis involves a completed medical examination that involves medical imaging, cognitive assessments and a thorough history. Any diagnosis made is through the principal investigator (Professor David Barton) who will discuss this diagnosis with you and your family. Neurocentrix offers counselling for trial participants who receive a new diagnosis.
What Are Common Warning Signs of Early Dementia?
- Forgetfulness, suggested by misplacing items, missing appointments, repeating the same topic or question
- Difficulty with familiar tasks such as making tea, brushing teeth, using appliances
- Language difficulties, such as referring to common items as “thing” or “that”, or difficulty forming a long sentence or understanding instructions
- Confusion about time and place, such as suddenly not knowing where you are or why, or not knowing how to get home.
- Frequently forgetting the date or day
- Impaired judgement causing difficulty in judging distances, not taking usual precautions such as turning off the stove, wearing the wrong clothes for the season or driving erratically
- Changes in personality and mood, more irritable or agitated, more suspicious, being socially inappropriate, losing interest in usual activities or withdrawing socially
How Do You Benefit by Participating in a Clinical Trial?
- Regular consultation with a specialist in memory disorders
- Supportive counselling for carers with experienced staff
- Discussing strategies for dealing with behavioural concerns
- Receiving early recommendations to support services
- Carers report that participation is a positive experience
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Clinical trials provide the opportunity to gain access to new treatments that are being investigated as disease modifying therapies. They may delay the course of Alzheimer’s disease or protect the brain from further damage and could potentially improve a patient’s quality of life.
The increase in knowledge gained, even if a particular treatment doesn’t work, may help future generations.
Current Studies
MINDSET-1 Study
Researchers for the MINDSET-1 Study are testing an oral study drug to see if it can safely help adults who have Alzheimer’s disease preserve their memory and thinking skills as well as overall function.
The study is seeking adults who:
- Are 60 to 85 years of age.
- Have Alzheimer’s disease.
Other criteria also apply.
Screening takes around 5 weeks with health checks and tests to see if you qualify. The treatment is 6 months, which involves 9 in person visits.
During the study, you would be taking either the study drug (active medication) or the placebo (no medicine). It is taken orally, 2 times a day, on an empty stomach.
Participants must also have a study partner (caregiver) come to visits and help with certain study activities.
Trailblazer 5 Study
The TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 5 study will test if an investigational medicine is safe and effective in people with symptoms of early Alzheimer’s disease. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease could be caused by a build-up of amyloid proteins in the brain. These amyloid proteins can stick together and form tiny clumps known as amyloid plaques. Amyloid plaques may lead to problems with memory and thinking. The investigational medicine being tested in the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 5 study may remove amyloid plaques and could slow memory loss.
You may be able to join this study if you:
• Are aged 60 to 85 years old.
• Have memory problems that have slowly worsened over time.
• Have a trusted study partner.
Janssen: RETAIN Study
The study is evaluating whether an investigational product is safe, tolerable, and effective at slowing the onset of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms in those who are at risk.
Participants will have a 50/50 chance of receiving the investigational product or a placebo (a substance that looks like the investigational product but contains no active ingredients). Both the investigational product and placebo will be given as an injection in the arm. The study will last up to 4 years and will involve up to 23 study visits and 5 phone calls. You may play a role in helping to learn more about Alzheimer’s disease for future generations by participating in this study.
When it comes to Alzheimer’s disease, it can help to be proactive those at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease may be eligible for a clinical research study. Alzheimer’s disease begins long before symptoms show—10 to 20 years before thinking or memory problems appear.
You or your loved one may be able to participate in the study if you or they:
- Are 55 to 75 years of age
- Have normal memory, mood, thinking, and behavioral patterns and are concerned about the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease
- Have a reliable study partner who is willing to attend some study visits with the participant (a study partner is a relative, partner, or friend over the age of 18 who has weekly contact with the participant)
If this is something that you are interested in and are looking for further information, please provide your preferred contact details below and one of our recruitment officers will be in contact with you.
Interested to participate in a clinical trial?
Please contact the Research Team with your preferred method.
Neurocentrix Head Office
- Suite 3 Level 1, 19-21 Argyle Place South, Carlton 3053
- research@neurocentrix.com.au
- 03 9546 0009
- 03 9959 8375
Request an appointment or send an enquiry
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