Hippocampal and retrosplenial function in MCI patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Sensitivity and specificity of combined tests of hippocampal and retrosplenial cortex function for the diagnosis of prodromal Alzheimer’s disease
IRAS ID
167728
Contact name
Dennis Chan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 6 days
Research summary
As attention turns increasingly towards the identification of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in its earliest stages there is a need for diagnostic tests that are both sensitive and specific for prodromal AD. To meet this need this study will utilise the knowledge that the hippocampus and retrosplenial cortex (RSC) are brain regions affected early in AD. We have previously shown that memory tests of hippocampal function, are very sensitive to early AD but are less specific given that the hippocampus can also be affected in other dementias. By contrast testing of spatial orientation, reflecting RSC function, has high specificity for AD.
A combination of hippocampus- and RSC-dependent tests will be applied to patients with prodromal AD, manifest as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Comparison will be made with control subjects and with patients with MCI due to non-AD causes.
If successful this pilot will lead onto several future studies into pre-dementia AD. First, these tests will be applied to individuals with presymptomatic AD in order to determine whether there is altered brain function prior to symptom onset. Second, longitudinal studies of patients with prodromal AD will establish whether test performance is predictive of progression from MCI to dementia.REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/EE/0016
Date of REC Opinion
3 Mar 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion