Alzheimer's Disease Hackensack Meridian Health

Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center and the hospital’s Center for Memory Loss and Brain Health are conducting research for Alzheimer’s disease through three clinical trials with the goal of addressing and improving the current gaps in knowledge of treatment and diagnosis.

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition that results in weakened brain connections and loss of brain cells and is currently ranked as the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Marked as the most common cause of dementia among older adults in the U.S., it is imperative to unravel the intricacies of this disease.

Hackensack University Medical Center is participating in a new study to determine if amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) is a useful tool to guide decision-making in the management of patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia of uncertain etiology.

Amyloid PET detects amyloid plaques in the brain, a core neuropathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease. The new Imaging Dementia—Evidence for Amyloid Scanning (New IDEAS) Study will follow up on results from the original IDEAS study to assess the value of brain PET scans in diagnosing and managing Alzheimer’s disease. This study focuses on enrolling for a diverse group, currently, the study is open to minority arm only.

Additionally, Hackensack University Medical Center is conducting two clinical trials; the first being ATH-1017, an investigational medication for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. This study will determine the safety and effectiveness of ATH-1017 to improve cognition in people with mild to moderate disease.

The second trial is enrolling patients in the multicenter S-Citad clinical trial to study the safety and efficacy of Escitalopram, an antidepressant, for the treatment of agitation related to Alzheimer’s disease. This study is sponsored by the National Institute on Aging and will help address this difficult and common clinical condition in Alzheimer’s to improve the lives of our patients and their families.

“With the number of New Jersey residents living with Alzheimer’s disease projected to rise in the coming years, we are proud to provide older adults in our communities with access to these pioneering clinical trials,” said Mark Sparta, FACHE, president and chief hospital executive, Hackensack University Medical Center. “Participating in groundbreaking research puts us one step closer to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.”

[Source(s): Hackensack Meridian Health, Newswise]