CareTEXT Program: Eliminating barriers to dementia caregiver support access in Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte, and Ray counties

This non-research, text-based program supports caregivers of people with dementia (available in English and Spanish). 

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Type of Study: This is a quality improvement program, not a research study. Program participants will receive educational and skill-building text messages to support their caregiving including the ability to chat with a trained coach who can help connect participants with resources.

Who: Caregivers of individuals with dementia in Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte, and Ray counties

Procedures: Two phone calls, not in person. (baseline and 6-mo. follow up)

Duration: Six months

Compensation: No

Click here to sign up or email kuadrc@kumc.edu for more information. 

Assessment of DeMentia nutrition Intervention needs among care Recipients and carEgivers (ADMIRE)

Nutrition plays an important role in disease prevention and brain health, but we don’t know how the nutrition status of caregivers and how it impacts their care recipients. This study’s objective is to characterize the nutrition-related needs of caregivers/persons with dementia pairs and evaluate for relationships between caregiver characteristics and care recipient’s nutrition status and to identify perceived caregiver nutrition needs, barriers, and facilitators to guide the design of a future study.

Type of Study: Observational (no treatment)

Who: Adult caregivers of a person with dementia

• Caregivers must live in the home with their care recipient and are the food planner for the household.

Procedures: A registered dietitian will complete a brief, non-invasive physical exam with both the caregiver and your care recipient. Exams will occur separately/privately and take about 30 minutes. There are multiple questionnaires that ask about food and nutrition knowledge, history, and caregiving experience in general. Most questionnaires can be completed separately, all together it will take approximately 2 hours to complete.

• Questionnaires can be completed online at a later time if they aren’t able to be completed at the study visit.

Duration: One in-person visit (approximately 2 hours) 

Compensation: Yes

Why is this research being done? We want to better understand the nutritional needs of caregivers and factors associated with nutrition status in persons with dementia. Our long-term goal is to optimize the nutrition status of caregivers and their care recipients through pragmatic intervention.

KU Alzheimer’s Disease Center Clinical Cohort

A National Institute of Health (NIH) grant-funded study to develop and maintain a well characterized group of individual to support further research on memory and aging.

Type of Study: Observational (no treatment)

Who: Individuals with memory loss of any age

Procedures: Clinical memory assessment, pen and paper test, blood draw

Duration: Up to 3 visits annually

Compensation: No

Cerebrovascular Markers for Alzheimer’s Diagnosis (BB8-AD)

A long-term study looking at how vascular health (your heart and blood vessels) may affect memory and brain health. Participants must be enrolled in the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Center Clinical Cohort study.

Type of Study: Observational (no treatment)

Who: Clinical Cohort participants with and without memory loss, age 55-85 years old

Procedures: MRI and PET brain imaging, and vascular measures (ultrasound, blood pressure, artery stiffness)

Duration: Baseline visit and 3 annual follow up visits (not including Clinical Cohort visits)

Compensation: Yes

Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative 3 (ADNI 3)

A public/private collaboration between academia and industry to study biomarkers and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Type of Study: Observational (no treatment)

Who: Individuals with normal cognition ages 65-90 and individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment or mild Alzheimer’s disease ages 55-90

Procedures: Participants will undergo longitudinal clinical and cognitive assessments, computerized cognitive batteries, biomarker and genetic tests, PET (FDG, amyloid and tau) and MRI scans and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) collection

Duration: Up to five years, with annual visits

Compensation: Yes

Acute Exercise Response On Brain Imaging and Cognition (AEROBIC)

A study to test how the brain uses glucose after a single bout of aerobic exercise in older adults and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Type of Study: Short-term observational

Who: Adults over 60 years old. Both normal cognition, and mild memory complaints

Procedures: Pen and paper tests, questionnaires, blood draws, fitness tests, PET scans, a single bout of aerobic exercise, blood draws, MRI

Duration: 4-5 week, 4 visits

Compensation: Yes

Sleep Intervention to Enhance Cognitive Status & Reduce Beta Amyloid (SIESTA)

A study to explore whether cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia improves cognitive function in older adults and reduces the rate of beta amyloid deposition.

Type of Study: Behavioral intervention (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia)

Who: Individuals age 60-85 with insomnia who are cognitively normal

Procedures: 3 overnight polysomnography visits, 3 cognitive assessment visits, 6 intervention sessions, monthly phone call for 1 year, 2 optional PET/MRI scans

Duration: 15 months (6-week active intervention)

Compensation: Yes

A Dyadic Approach for a Remote Physical Activity Intervention in Adults with Alzheimer’s Disease and their Caregivers (M2G)

Study to test whether group physical activity delivered over the internet can increase activity levels and improve quality of life for individuals with AD and their caregivers.

Type of Study: Weekly group exercise classes or exercise done on own with personal health coach, all done remotely from home.

Who: Individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease age 55 or older and caregivers age 18 or older

Procedures: physical activity monitor, functionality fitness test and fall screener, questionnaires, body measurements (height, weight, and waist circumference), medication record.

Duration: 18 months with 4 in-home visits (6 months active intervention, 6 months maintenance, 6 months no contact follow up).

Therapeutic Diets in Alzheimer's Disease (TDAD)

A study to determine the effect of a ketogenic diet (KD) on cognition and function in Alzheimer's Disease and to define KD physiological effects and mechanisms of action.

Type: Diet intervention

Who: Individuals with very mild to mild Alzheimer's Disease and a study partner

Procedures: Physical exam, blood draws, questionnaires, cognitive testing, MRI, urine testing

Duration: 3 months of diet intervention and one-month follow-up phone call with up to 7 visits to the CTSU and Hoglund Imaging Center on main campus

Compensation: Yes

Combined Exercise Trial (COMET)

A study to test whether endurance training, weight lifting, or both have independent and combined benefits for brain and body health as we age.

Type: Moderate intensity endurance exercise, weight training or both

Who: Underactive individuals age 65+ 

Procedures: Physical exam, computer and paper tests, questionnaires, blood collection, fitness tests, and MRI

Duration: 12 months of intervention

Compensation: Yes- up to $510 total. All participants received a paid gym membership and personal trainer time.

A Phase 3, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of AL001 in Individuals at risk for or with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) Due to Heterozygous Mutations in the Progranulin Gene (Alector AL001-3)

A study to test the safety and efficacy of an investigational medication (AL001) in individuals either at risk for or with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) due to heterozygous mutations in the progranulin gene.

Type of Study: Investigational Medication (chance of placebo)

Who: Individuals who are known carriers of the progranulin gene mutation, either diagnosed with FTD (symptomatic) or not diagnosed with FTD (pre-symptomatic), age 25-85

Procedures: Physical exams, blood draws, questionnaires, infusions, MRIs, optional lumbar punctures, ECGs, pen and paper tests

Duration: Screening period up to 6 weeks; treatment period of monthly infusions for 96 weeks, 8 weeks of follow up or the option to enroll in Open Label Extension.

Compensation: Yes

AHEAD A3-45 Study: A Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Parallel-Treatment Arm, 216 Week Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Treatment with BAN2401 in subjects

A study to determine whether treatment with the study drug, BAN2401, is safe and effective in preventing or delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease in individuals with higher risk for developing the disease.

Type of Study: Investigational medicine (chance of placebo)

Who: Individuals age 55-80 years old who have risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease

Procedures: MRI's, PET scans, pen and paper tests, questionnaires, blood draws, infusions, physical/neurological exams, optional lumbar puncture

Duration: 4 1/2 years

Compensation: Yes

SIGNAL-AD

A Phase 1b, Multi-center, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Safety and Biomarker Study of pepinemab Anti-SEMA4D Antibody  in early Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) (SIGNAL-AD)

A study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of an investigational medicine in individuals with mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD)

Type of Study: Investigational medicine (chance of placebo)

Who: Individuals with mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD)

Procedures: Blood draws, physical exams, pen and paper tests, infusions, MRI’s, PET scans, lumbar punctures

Duration: Approximately 15 visits over 56 weeks

Compensation:  Yes

SHIMMER COG1201

The COG1201 “Shimmer” study is a medication trial assessing the safety of CT1812 (pill medication) as a possible treatment for people diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia with Lewy Bodies. Click here to indicate your interest: https://mailchi.mp/kumc.edu/shimmerstudy.

Type of Study: Investigational medicine (chance of placebo)

Who: Individuals of age 50-85 and diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia with Lewy Bodies

Procedures: Blood draws, physical exams, pen and paper tests, infusions, MRI’s, PET scans, lumbar punctures, and other assessments as needed

Duration:  Attend 12 study visits over approximately 8 months

Compensation:  Yes