Important treatment studies are now open for participation through the University of Pennsylvania Alzheimer's Disease Center and Penn Memory Center.
Can the pathological proteins that contribute to the destructive brain plaques of Alzheimer’s disease be safely reduced or eliminated using antibodies?
A promising study at only six sites nationwide, including Penn, will help answer that question.
Amyloid-beta (Aß) is the pathological protein produced in the brain in persons with Alzheimer’s disease. It forms deposits that are the basis for the neuritic plaques pathologists use to confirm the presence of the disease. These plaques may contribute to neuron loss which results in the memory and cognitive impairments that characterize the disease.
A major aim in the search for effective Alzheimer’s treatment is to develop drugs to eliminate these pathologic deposits from the brains of patients while they are still in the mildest stage of the illness. Preliminary research in both animals and humans suggests that antibodies directed against this pathologic protein can accomplish that goal.
In this Phase II study, sponsored by Eli Lilly, participants receive a preliminary evaluation, followed by 12 weeks of treatment with one of several different doses of passive immunization, administered by infusion, or placebo infusions. Each participant will be followed in the Penn Memory Center for one year from the time they begin treatment.
Penn will offer participation in this study to 10 patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease, and three healthy individuals without evidence of Alzheimer’s disease. The ten patients will receive a series of infusions. The three healthy individuals will receive a single infusion.
This study is an important step in the search for truly effective disease-halting treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, and provides an opportunity for patients and their families to actively participate in achieving that goal.
Learn more about the Lilly Immuno Study
- For more information, contact Monica Han, Senior Research Coordinator by email christine.kaminski@uphs.upenn.edu, or by phone at 215-662-4377.
Can a combination of antioxidant supplements and vitamins reduce the brain damage that occurs in
patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease?
The brain undergoes oxidative damage in aging, and in Alzheimer's disease. Some studies suggest that people who eat diets rich in antioxidants may have a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease. Because combinations of antioxidants may be more effective than single substances, this study will compare the effects of different types of antioxidants in persons with Alzheimer's disease.
To assess how well and safely these antioxidants can be used in patients, the study involves testing to see whether these antioxidants affect the levels of certain chemicals found in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of persons with Alzheimer's disease. The chemicals that are measured are "markers" of processes that go wrong in the Alzheimer's brain, and are called Biomarkers.
The study is sponsored by the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study.
- For more information on this study, contact the study coordinator, Binh Ha, by email binh.ha@uphs.upenn.edu, or by phone at 215-746-2991.
CSF Sampling
Sampling of Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) through a process known as lumbar puncture, or spinal tap, is often an important part of Alzheimer's Disease research.
Learn the facts - not the frightening fiction - about CSF sampling.
More Information on Clinical Trials Research
If you would like to learn more about research in general, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) have produced many informative articles, books and fact sheets about research practice. The following links are a few examples:
- NIH's Clinical Trails Resource webpage - includes "An Introduction to Clinical Trials"
- Connections Vol. 6 No 1, Spring 1997 - Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center's Newsletter contains a concise introduction to clinical research
- "Clinical Trials of Medical Treatments: Why Volunteer?" - An FDA Easy Reader document
Copyright 2006 © University of Pennsylvania Heath System. All rights reserved.
How we are organized
Clinical services
Research
Who we are Diagnosis/treatment info
News and Events
Donation info
Locate / Contact Us