New memory tests for early cognitive decline
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of memory binding performance as an indicator for early cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease
IRAS ID
146738
Contact name
Shahina Pardhan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Anglia Ruskin University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is currently a leading cause of dementia. In the UK, dementia affects over 800,000 people, costing over £20bn per year (Dementia UK, 2010). Diagnosis of cognitive decline in AD is often challenging in the early (pre-clinical) stages. Research suggests that existing dementia tests do not adequately measure cognitive functions linked to those areas in the brain that are affected early in AD (Maki et al, 2010), such as the hippocampi (Hampel, et al, 2008). An important cognitive function supported by the hippocampi is ‘memory binding’. Memory binding links features of an object together; for example its colour/appearance to its location. Memory binding is vital for everyday activities, for example remembering where (location) one’s keys (object) were left, tracking the position (location) of changing traffic lights (colour), and recalling names (identity) of acquaintances (appearance).
We have designed non-invasive tests that measure memory binding performance. These tests show images of everyday items. Our research shows that memory binding performance declines with age. We now want to examine participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), since MCI constitutes a high-risk group for developing AD (Petersen et al., 2001), and memory binding is a feature of the brain areas (hippocampi) known to be affected early in AD.
We will recruit 50 young adults (18-30 years), 50 adults above 60 years with normal cognition and 50 adults above 60 years with MCI to examine differences between the groups. We will re-evaluate MCI participants one year later to determine which memory binding features are affected early and decline progressively; it is likely that some (15-20%) will have received the diagnosis of dementia with progressive cognitive decline when we re-evaluate them one year later. Our overall aim is to improve early detection of memory decline linked to AD so that intervention can be started earlier.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/WM/0154
Date of REC Opinion
11 Jun 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion