Electrophysiologic Measures of Treatment Response in Alzheimer Disease

US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 4

Conditions: Alzheimer Disease

Treatments: Drug: Exelon; Drug: Nicoderm Patch; Drug: Aricept

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT00018278

AGCG-004-98S

Details and patient eligibility

About

The main purpose of this study is to determine the electrophysiological effects of cholinergic therapy (cholinesterase inhibitors and transdermal nicotine) in Alzheimer disease. The attempt will be to locate electrophysiological markers and predictors of cognitive and clinical treatment response.

Sex: All

Ages: 55 to 85 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Patients diagnosed with mild to moderate probable Alzheimer's disease (mini-mental state exam scores between 15-27), and normal controls (age generally between 60-85). Subjects must either be planning to start daily cholinesterase therapy (e.g. Aricept, Exelon) or willing to try a transdermal nicotine patch for two 8 hour periods.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)