Reduced mind-wandering as a pre-marker of Alzheimer Disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Reduced spontaneous cognition as a neuropsychological pre-marker of Alzheimer’s Disease: an interview study
IRAS ID
330229
Contact name
Nabeela Malik
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Research and Enterprise
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 20 days
Research summary
This aim of this study is to determine if reduced spontaneous cognition (i.e., past memory events or knowledge or thoughts of future tasks that can pop into our minds when one is not deliberately trying to think about it), can serve as a reliable pre-marker of Alzheimer's disease. Previous research has shown a connection between the default mode network in the brain (i.e., medial temporal lobe, prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex), early-stage Alzheimer's disease, and various forms of spontaneous cognition (Kvavilashvili et al, 2020; Niedzwienska et al, 2017; Niedzwienska & Kvavilashvili, 2018; Wereszczynski & Niedzwienska, 2022). We aim to use an interview method with a between-subject design to compare three participant groups (healthy young adults, healthy older adults, and older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment) on the awareness, frequency, and content of spontaneous cognition. Health Research Authority (HRA) approval is being sought solely for the older adults with MCI group to enable the researcher to identify participants from the NHS memory services listed in the application. Ethics approval for the remaining participant recruitment has been obtained from The University of Hertfordshire. Data collection from healthy young adults and healthy older adults has been completed.
REC name
London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/LO/0200
Date of REC Opinion
10 Apr 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion