Cognitive deficit & psychiatric co-morbidity and spatial navigation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Examination of spatial navigation deficit in patients with cognitive deficits and psychiatric co-morbidity
IRAS ID
121081
Contact name
Michael Kopelman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King’s College London
Research summary
Patients who have subtle problems with their memory for events (episodic memory) but who have not yet developed dementia are classified as having Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). MCI can be seen as a stage between healthy ageing and dementia. Patients with dementia often have problems with navigating in space and they can get lost even in well known places. Recent research suggests that problems with spatial navigation are also seen in MCI patients. Most research into MCI patients excludes anyone with psychiatric diagnoses. Here, we would like to look at spatial navigation and episodic memory in MCI patients who also have psychiatric diagnosis (e.g., history of mood disorder, psychotic disorder, schizoaffective disorder or alcohol abuse). We will use computerised tests that have been successfully used with healthy older adults, MCI patients without psychiatric diagnoses and early dementia patients. We will then be able to compare performance in MCI patients with and without psychiatric diagnoses.
REC name
London - Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1101
Date of REC Opinion
23 Aug 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion