AHEAD Study

The AHEAD Study is aimed at preventing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia in cognitively normal people who may be at risk with intermediate or elevated levels of amyloid in their brain when measured by a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan. Visit AHEADSTUDY.ORG for more information.

Study Length: 4 years

Study Requirements:  

  • 55 to 80 years of age
  • Normal thinking and memory abilities
  • Willing to learn your amyloid results (intermediate, elevated, or not elevated) which may relate to your risk of developing AD dementia
  • Have a trusted family member or friend (a “study partner”) who can accompany you to a few key study visits and be available by phone to answer questions about your memory and thinking.
  • Willing and able to receive regular intravenous (IV) infusions (once or twice a month) of the investigational study drug (BAN2401) or a placebo for up to 4 years

Contact:

Paige Tacey at 412-692-2717 or taceyp@upmc.edu or

Thomas Baumgartner at 412-692-2716 or baumgartnertc@upmc.edu  or

MaryAnn Oakley at 412-692-2721 or oakleym@upmc.edu

ACE Study

The main purpose of ACE is to determine if taking Equol, a plant-based supplement, could slow the progression of stiffening of the arteries, small blood vessel disease in the brain and memory decline.

Study Length: 2 years

Study Requirements:  

  • African-American or Caucasian men and women
  • Ages 65 to 85 years old

To learn more please call: 800-872-3653 or e-mail: ACETRIAL@pitt.edu

Study Brochure ›

FORAging – Facilitating Optimal Routines in Aging

This study is looking at ways to minimize problems with everyday tasks by using a new strategy.

Study Length: 12 months

Study Requirements:  

  • 60 years of age AND
  • Having difficulty managing daily tasks    

Contact:
MaryAnn Oakley at 412-692-2721 or oakleym@upmc.edu

Dementia with Lewy Bodies Consortium

The purpose of this study is to collect clinical information, brain imaging scans, and biological samples from people that have dementia with Lewy bodies. This information will help researchers improve the diagnosis, care, and treatment of patients with this disease.

Study Length:  5 years

Study Requirements:

    • Age 40-90
    • Diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia (DLB) or high likelihood
    • A study partner who will accompany you to all study visits

Contact: 
MaryAnn Oakley at 412-692-2721 or oakleym@upmc.edu

Mitochondrial PET Imaging in Parkinson’s disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies

The purpose of this study is to test whether a new brain imaging (PET scan) agent can detect the earliest changes in the brain of those with Dementia with Lewy Bodies or Parkinson’s disease. The overall goal is to develop a method that would allow us to monitor effects of new therapies that might slow or reverse the neurodegeneration of these diseases, and to detect the disease at its earliest initiation in brain cells, when therapies could better stop or slow the progression of disease.

Study Visits: 2 or 3 visits

Study Requirements:

    • Age 40-85
    • Recruiting those with a diagnosis of Lewy Body Disease, Parkinson’s disease, Parkinson’s disease dementia, and also recruiting control participants with no neurologic diagnosis or cognitive impairment
    • Not on blood thinners and no contraindications for MRI

Contact: 
Patricia McGeown at 412-692-2722 or mcgepg@UPMC.EDU

** this study is no longer recruiting**

Escitalopram for Agitation in Alzheimer’s Disease (S-CitAD)

The study is designed to examine the efficacy and safety of escitalopram in combination with a psychosocial intervention (PSI) as treatment for agitation in AD patients.

Study Length:  6 months

Study Requirements:

    • Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease with significant agitation/aggression
    • A study partner who will accompany you to all study visits

Contact:
Patricia Henderson 412-692-2703 or hendersonpl@upmc.edu or
MaryAnn Oakley at 412-692-2721 or oakleym@upmc.edu

** this study is no longer recruiting**

Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative – 3 (ADNI3)

The overall goal is to determine the relationships among the clinical, cognitive, imaging, genetic and biochemical biomarker characteristics of the entire spectrum of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) from its earliest stages. Subjects 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. For more information about the ADNI3 study visit:

http://www.adni-info.org

Study Length:  up to 5 years

No Longer Recruiting

 

** this study is no longer recruiting**

Connectomes in Brain Aging

This study will determine how different parts of the brain are connected and how these connections allow people to think, behave and feel. The study will involve 2-3 days of scanning and tests.  Some people will be asked to return after two years.

Study Length: 2-3 days and for some two years

Study Requirements

    • 50-89 years of age
    • Cognitively normal; or have Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI); or have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Contact:
MaryAnn Oakley at 412-692-2721 or oakleym@upmc.edu or
Rebecca Roush 412-586-9860

Senior Moments Study

The University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center needs your help to better understand how mild memory changes may or may not relate to the future development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Read more »

Contact:
MaryAnn Oakley at 412-692-2721 or oakleym@upmc.edu

4 for the Future

Participants are needed for this research study!

Read more »

Contact:
Melita Terry at 412-692-2700 or terrymh@upmc.edu