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Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.
Dr
James
Rowe
james.rowe@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk
Dr
George
Savulich
gjs46@medschl.cam.ac.uk
Matthew
Harding
matt.harding@cpft.nhs.uk
Other degenerative diseases of the nervous system
This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.
This study is concerned with the role of abnormal protein in different diseases affecting the brain. In particular a protein called tau, which is found in many cells in our body, plays an important part in the health and normal function of nerve cells. Accumulation of abnormal tau characterises the cell changes seen in several progressive brain illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease. Whilst the role of tau in health and mechanisms of how it may accumulate and cause illness are relatively well understood, our knowledge is indirect coming mainly from animal models of disease and post-mortem studies. Consequently they do not provide us with evidence for what happens in terms of localisation and spread of pathology during the disease course in life.
Until recently there has been no non-invasive way of detecting the distribution and amount of tau aggregation in life. However, chemicals have now been developed that bind preferentially to abnormal tau aggregates rather than other protein accumulations that may be seen in various neurodegenerative diseases. These chemicals are tagged with a low dose radioactive label which allows the binding to be visualised by recording the radioactive decay in a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan. The location of this binding is ascertained by co-registration of the PET data with a MRI of brain structure.
By using this method, combined with blood sampling for genetic factors and thorough neuro-psychological and clinical examination, we intend to correlate the distribution and amount of tau with symptoms and severity in several different neurodegenerative diseases characterised by abnormal tau accumulation. This would enhance early, accurate diagnosis, as well as potentially providing a robust marker for monitoring the disease modifying effects of new drugs, several of which may work by reducing tau accumulation, in future clinical trials.
Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.
The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:
Observational type: Cross-sectional;
You can take part if:
You may not be able to take part if:
1. Severe dementia so as to be unable to comply with study procedures or MMSE < 12 (except for in the FTD syndromes where MMSE does not accurately reflect severity) 2. Significant medical illness (including obesity, respiratory insufficiency and back pain) likely to interfere with tolerance of scanning 4. Significant psychiatric disorder 5. Absence of reliable informant (for patients) 6. Women who are pregnant or who are breast-feeding. 3. Surgical implant, non-removable prosthesis or other fitment incompatible with MRI
Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.
Dr
James
Rowe
james.rowe@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk
Dr
George
Savulich
gjs46@medschl.cam.ac.uk
Matthew
Harding
matt.harding@cpft.nhs.uk
The study is sponsored by CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST and funded by THE PSP ASSOCIATION; Wellcome Trust; .
Your feedback is important to us. It will help us improve the quality of the study information on this site. Please answer both questions.
Read full details
for Trial ID: CPMS 32970
You can print or share the study information with your GP/healthcare provider or contact the research team directly.
