Magnetoencephalography in Alzheimer's Disease

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Magnetoencephalography in Alzheimer's Disease: impact of cholinesterase inhibitors

• IRAS ID

  185668

• Contact name

  BERNADETTE MCGUINNESS

• Contact email

  b.mcguinness @qub.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Queen's University Belfast

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 4 days

• Research summary

  Dementia is a serious public health concern with rates of diagnosis increasing worldwide and no cure on the horizon. The condition affects multiple cognitive functions including memory, thinking and the ability to perform everyday tasks. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and is a leading cause of dependence and disability in older age. Advances in brain imaging methods have made it possible to diagnose cognitive decline at an early stage and monitor how people diagnosed with cognitive impairment respond to prescribed drug treatment. Magnetoencephalography, or MEG imaging, is a type of scan that measures brain activity using small magnetic fields produced in the brain. MEG has several advantages over other brain imaging techniques: it is non- invasive, emits no radiation and provides a direct measure of brain function with high precision. However, the underlying changes in MEG-measured brain activity in AD have not been comprehensively studied. Furthermore, it is unclear whether MEG procedures are acceptable in patients diagnosed with early AD. This pilot study aims to evaluate the feasibility of MEG imaging in patients diagnosed with early AD. A second aim is to explore the 16-week change in MEG-measured brain activity in response to a standard prescribed medication treatment in early AD patients.

• REC name

  HSC REC A

• REC reference

  16/NI/0195

• Date of REC Opinion

  18 Oct 2016

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion