Longitudinal Investigation of FTD and associated disorders (LIFTD)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Longitudinal Investigation of Fronto-Temporal Dementia and associated disorders (LIFTD)
IRAS ID
190270
Contact name
Jonathan Rohrer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2015/12/52, UCL Data Protection Registration
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, days
Research summary
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is one of the four most common causes of dementia at any age, and below the age of 65 it is approximately equal in frequency to Alzheimer’s disease. Its effect, particularly on people of working age with young families, represents a major health and economic burden on society. Research over the last ten years has shown that FTD commonly overlaps with motor neurone disease (MND) and with atypical parkinsonian disorders, including corticobasal syndrome (CBS) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). There are still no curative treatments for these disorders and the ideal methodology for clinical trials remains unclear. The identification of robust biomarkers in FTD and its associated disorders, that are indicative of disease onset and progression, are therefore prerequisites for any disease-modifying therapy trial. \n\nThis study is a longitudinal cohort study of subjects with frontotemporal dementia and its associated disorders, including symptomatic patients that fulfil diagnostic criteria for frontotemporal dementia, motor neurone disease, and the atypical parkinsonian disorders. All participants will be assessed longitudinally at three time points with a set of clinical, neuropsychiatric, cognitive, imaging and biosample assessments. \n\nThe key hypotheses of the study are as follows: a cascade of biomarker changes will be seen in FTD and its associated disorders, with changes in serum and CSF earlier than imaging changes which in turn will be earlier than changes in clinical and neuropsychological markers. Some biomarker cascades will be different for each of the different disorders and some will be common. Furthermore, some biomarkers will be robust measures of disease onset and some will be measures of disease progression, thus allowing the tracking of the disease over time and forming outcome measures for clinical trials.\n
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0465
Date of REC Opinion
22 Apr 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion