RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT06099587

MIMA Pilot Study: MIcrostructure of the Medial Temporal Lobe in Early Alzheimer's Disease

Sponsor

Rennes University Hospital

Enrollment

50 participants

Start Date

Jul 2, 2024

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Alzheimer Disease, Early Onset

Summary

Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) may or may not develop Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia. Yet identifying patients at risk is crucial: delaying the onset of the disease by 5 years could reduce prevalence by 50%. To achieve this, we need affordable biomarkers combined with clinically meaningful assessment tools. Current approaches (cognition, imaging or Tau and Amyloid peptide assays) lack precision or specificity (e.g., age-related memory deficits) and involve invasive and costly procedures, sometimes inaccessible in France (e.g., the "AT(N)" framework). Recently, quantitative diffusion MRI (dMRI) has identified in-vivo gray matter microstructural changes linked to hyperphosphorylated Tau protein, which are of great diagnostic value. Still, we ignore whether and how these changes are responsible for early memory impairment in AD. The MIMA-P project will combine multi-compartment models of the high-resolution diffusion signal with a cognitive assessment of memory based on recent models of medial temporal lobe function to assess the relevance of a new affordable, rapid and non-invasive early marker of the disease.

Eligibility

Min Age: 50 YearsMax Age: 80 Years

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This pilot study — called MIMA — is using advanced MRI scanning to look at the detailed structure of a specific part of the brain (the medial temporal lobe, involved in memory) to detect early signs of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers hope this technique will identify subtle brain changes before full dementia develops. **You may be eligible if...** - You are between 50 and 80 years old - You are a native French speaker - You are right-handed - You have subjective cognitive decline (you feel your memory is slipping, even if tests are near-normal) OR mild cognitive impairment related to Alzheimer's disease - You have at least a primary school level education **You may NOT be eligible if...** - You have a pacemaker, cochlear implant, metal implants in your head, or severe claustrophobia (MRI exclusions) - You are pregnant or breastfeeding - You have fully developed dementia - You have a serious sensory impairment affecting the tests - You are under legal guardianship or protection Talk to your doctor to see if this trial is right for you.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

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Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TESThigh-resolution diffusion MRI

The study will combine multi-compartment models (e.g. Archer et al., 2020; Parker et al., 2020) of high-resolution diffusion MRI within medial temporal lobes regions of interest defined through the ASHS algorithm (Yushkevich et al., 2015), with theoretically driven cognitive assessment medial temporal lobes functions. The '4 mountains test' and the 'Memory entities' test will allow specific probing of hippocampal and rhinal cortices functions, respectively (Hartley et al., 2007; Besson et al., 2020).