In this study we aim to investigate two visuospatial tasks that demand activity in the prefrontal and parietal lobes and that are widely used in the clinical setting. We will investigate the diagnostic possibilities of combining clinical…
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Other condition
Synonym
Health condition
Milde cognitieve stoornissen (geheugenpoli)
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
The main outcome measures are performance (mean reaction time and accuracy) and
the Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) response during the functional tasks.
Firstly, the differences in BOLD response between groups will be calculated.
Secondly, the functional network underlying this performance will be analyzed
by using fractional anisotropy measures and granger causality mapping.
Secondary outcome
White matter lesions will be taken in consideration and resting state
connectivity will be analyzed
Background summary
Neuropsychological studies lack sufficient specificity and sensitivity in
diagnosing preclinical Alzheimer disease. Some patients remain stable, others
return to normal functioning and others develop Alzheimer disease. It has been
suggested that diagnostic power might increase when combining cognitive test
results with imaging markers. Functional imaging has already proven its
relevance in cognitive neuroscience. Until now, many studies have investigated
group differences experimentally in terms of different activity patterns in
order to understand the pathology of diseases better. However, so far no study
has investigated the capacity of combining neuropsychological test performance
and the associated brain activation patterns for the diagnostic accuracy of
mild cognitive impairment. This study will investigate the diagnostic
possibilities of functional imaging by using tasks in the scanner that are
closely related to known clinical neuropsychological tests. Furthermore, we
will also investigate the integrity of networks associated with these tasks.
Many studies thus far have focussed on well defined areas, mostly the medial
temporal lobe. However, recent research has shown that a network view is more
valid. Since there is evidence for an anterior-posterior shift from normal to
pathological ageing, we will investigate the frontal-parietal network. Tasks
relying more on the parietal than the frontal lobe, will be used, because of
the assumed shift of pathological processes toward posterior areas.
Study objective
In this study we aim to investigate two visuospatial tasks that demand activity
in the prefrontal and parietal lobes and that are widely used in the clinical
setting. We will investigate the diagnostic possibilities of combining
clinical neuropsychological tasks and functional imaging and whether this can
learn us more about the pathogenesis of Alzheimer*s disease.
Study design
Two groups, all male, matched on age and education level will be studied using
a cross-sectional design. Participants will be invited twice, once for a
neuropsychological assessment and a dummy scanner session. The second time, the
functional imaging session will take place, using a mixed design and a blocked
design for the cognitive tasks.
Study burden and risks
The expected risks and burden are expected to be minimal, since strict
inclusion and exclusion criteria for the MRI are maintained. Participants will
complete a screening questionnaire that checks for contraindications. When
included, the burden and risks associated with this study are restricted to two
visits on two separate days. The first day will start with the administration
of several neuropsychological tests and questionnaires (30 minutes) and a
training session in a dummy MRI scanner (30 minutes). On the second day,
patients will be scanned in the MRI for one hour. MRI is a non-invasive method
and the risks are negligible.
Dr. Tanslaan 12 / 4 E3 012
6229 ET Maastricht
Nederland
Dr. Tanslaan 12 / 4 E3 012
6229 ET Maastricht
Nederland
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
Patients should have a least an impairment in the memory domain, with a CDR score 0.5, whereas participants in the control group should be cognitive healthy as determined by neuropsychological assessments. For both groups, the age range is between 58-68 years old. Only male patients will be included, who are right-handed or ambidexter and who have an average level of education. Participants have to fill in an informend consent and a screening questionnaire that contains questions about home adress, age, handedness, sensory functioning, profession, educational level, lifestyle, health and MRI-exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria
Participants who do not fulfill the MRI-safety criteria are not allowed in the study Furthermore, people with reduced vision, psychoactive medication use, substance abuse, past or present psychiatric or neurological disorders and structural abnormalities in the brain are not included in the study. Control participants with neuropsychological test results below average (based on normative data) will be excluded.
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL25297.068.08 |