ENtorhinal COrtex function in early Alzheimer’s Disease (ENCOAD)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
ENtorhinal COrtex function in early Alzheimer’s Disease (ENCOAD)
IRAS ID
280343
Contact name
Dennis Chan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Duration of Study in the UK
6 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
This study aims to improve our ability to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in its earliest stages. It will do so by using virtual reality (VR) technology to measure the functions of the entorhinal cortex (EC). The EC is the first part of the brain to show degeneration in AD and so EC-based tests may have superior diagnostic accuracy to tests currently used in clinical practice.
This study builds on our previous work showing a VR navigation task, assessing one function of the EC, has higher diagnostic accuracy than a number of gold standard memory tests used to diagnose early AD. in this second stage study we will test a larger number of people and will also include people in even earlier stages of AD, not just prior the onset of dementia but even before the onset of mild cognitive impairment. We will also use additional VR tests of memory for objects, assessing other EC functions beyond navigation, in order to enhance diagnostic value.REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/LO/0561
Date of REC Opinion
15 Sep 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion