Multimodal Imaging Study on Physical Activity in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

Summary

This study aims to gain a better understanding of metabolic early changes in neurodegenerative diseases, in order to enable new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in the future. Further, it aims to identify specific movement-induced changes at the cerebral level, on cognition, on quality of life and physical fitness, and on serology parameters in neurodegenerative diseases.

In general, valid biomarkers are needed for early diagnosis and prediction of disease progression. It has been hypothesized that metabolic changes may precede structural changes and may be examined by intervention with exercise therapy. The non-invasive, in vivo characterization and diagnosis of such metabolic changes is therefore of paramount importance. In this line, this research project is focused on applying magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based metabolic imaging techniques such as sodium MRI and phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) with standard structural and functional MRI methods, combined with exercise training, in order to detect biomarkers early in different stages of neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, this project aims to examine the sensitivity of metabolic imaging with sodium and phosphorus sequences over classical MRI imaging with whole body fat sequences, in order to detect cerebral alterations.

At the end, the medical benefit of the planned project lies in the fact that the expected findings are groundbreaking for the understanding of the phenomenology and pathobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This is the basis for the development of new methods for early diagnosis and individualized medicine with the optimization of future treatment options.

Conditions

• Alzheimer Disease

Interventions

OTHER

Clinical-neurological and neuropsychological tests

The tests include established standardized questionnaires and detailed clinical neuropsychological examinations (e.g., tests on cognition and perception). In order to avoid exercise effects in multiple examinations, so-called parallel procedures should be used.

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Blood sampling

Venous blood sampling (40 ml) is performed according to the usual criteria of sterile working at baseline and after intervention.

OTHER

Assessment of physical activity via fitness tracker/diary

All study participants, regardless of group classification, are randomly selected for a period of one week using Fitbit Charge 2® fitness trackers. The study participants are asked in this context to pursue their regular activity and to wear the bracelets for a week throughout. All study participants are asked to document their activities in a hand-written diary.

OTHER

MRI-examinations

Standard MRI-methods, Sodium MRI, Phosphor MRS, Wholebody-Fat-MRI

Sponsors & Collaborators

• RWTH Aachen University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jörg B. Schulz, Prof. Dr. · Clinic for neurology University Hospital Aachen

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

50 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-04-08

Primary Completion

2021-04-30

Completion

2021-10-31

Countries

• Germany

Study Locations