The Sunnybrook Dementia Study

NCT ID: NCT01800214

Last Updated: 2025-01-31

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Total Enrollment

1800 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

1995-09-30

Study Completion Date

2025-09-30

Brief Summary

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The prospect of disease-modifying therapies in the pipeline for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) has intensified efforts to use brain imaging more effectively for diagnosis and monitoring of dementing illnesses. There is also emerging awareness of the destructive interplay between AD and Cerebrovascular Disease (CVD) in our aging population; both disorders share common vascular risk factors and may respond to similar prevention treatments. Brain mapping techniques capitalize on the fact that different neurodegenerative diseases target particular brain areas. Brain shrinkage and stroke disease can be quantified on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) using computerized analysis.

This ongoing study applies advanced MR imaging analysis, genetic testing and standardized cognitive and functional assessments done at yearly intervals to measure and monitor longitudinal change in patients with AD, vascular and other neurodegenerative diseases and potentially to measure modifying effects of emerging therapies. Over 1700 patients (Mild Cognitive Impairment or dementia from AD, Vascular, Frontotemporal or Lewy Body Disease) and 140 normal elderly have already been enrolled, with 180 autopsies.

This study utilizes specialized imaging analysis software packages to reliably quantify brain tissue volumes and small vessel disease, the most common type of CVD.

The SDS also investigates other potential biomarkers of dementia such as eye-tracking, optical coherence tomography, gait and balance, and the gut microbiome to explore their clinical utility.

Results from this study will help to improve diagnosis, to customize treatment, and to better monitor disease-modifying therapies currently under investigation should they become applicable to everyday practice.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Dementia

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

ECOLOGIC_OR_COMMUNITY

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

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Alzheimer's disease (AD)

No interventions assigned to this group

Vascular Cognitive Disorders (VCD)

No interventions assigned to this group

Lewy Body Disease (LBD)

No interventions assigned to this group

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)

Behavioral-variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD) Language-variant Frontoemporal Dementia including Semantic dementia (SD) and Progressive non-fluent aphasia (PNFA) Corticobasal degeneration (CBD) Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)

No interventions assigned to this group

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

No interventions assigned to this group

Cognitively Normal (CN)

No interventions assigned to this group

Small Vessel Disease -Neurodegenerative (SVD)

No interventions assigned to this group

Subjective Cognitive Complaints (SCC)

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Age between 40 and 90 (inclusive)
* Fluent in English
* Completed 8 years of education or higher
* Visual and auditory acuity adequate for neuropsychological testing
* Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) score ≥ 16


* Age between 40-90
* Fluent in English
* Completed 8 years of education or higher
* No significant memory complaints

Exclusion Criteria

* Possible secondary causes of dementia, concomitant or history of neurological or psychiatric illness (other than stroke or Parkinsonism)
* History of alcohol or substance abuse or dependence within the past 2 years


* Being treated or history of being treated for psychiatric or neurological illness
* History of alcohol or substance abuse or dependence within the past 2 years
* Current use of psychoactive medications (e.g. antidepressant, neuroleptics, chronic anxiolytics or sedative hypnotics, etc.)
* Medical contraindications to MRI
Minimum Eligible Age

40 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

90 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Toronto

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Sunnybrook Research Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Waterloo

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Baycrest

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Dr. Sandra E Black

Brill Chair in Neurology

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Sandra E Black, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Locations

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Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Canada

Central Contacts

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Morgan Koo, BScH.

Role: CONTACT

416-480-6100 ext. 3867

Christopher Scott, MSc.

Role: CONTACT

416-480-6100 ext. 83792

References

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Callahan BL, Becker S, Ramirez J, Taylor R, Shammi P, Gao F, Black SE. Vascular Burden Moderates the Relationship Between ADHD and Cognition in Older Adults. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2024 Apr;32(4):427-442. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2023.10.018. Epub 2023 Oct 30.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37989710 (View on PubMed)

Callahan BL, Ramakrishnan N, Shammi P, Bierstone D, Taylor R, Ozzoude M, Goubran M, Stuss DT, Black SE. Cognitive and Neuroimaging Profiles of Older Adults With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Presenting to a Memory Clinic. J Atten Disord. 2022 Jun;26(8):1118-1129. doi: 10.1177/10870547211060546. Epub 2021 Nov 16.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34784815 (View on PubMed)

Sapkota S, Ramirez J, Stuss DT, Masellis M, Black SE. Clinical dementia severity associated with ventricular size is differentially moderated by cognitive reserve in men and women. Alzheimers Res Ther. 2018 Sep 5;10(1):89. doi: 10.1186/s13195-018-0419-2.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 30185213 (View on PubMed)

Saeed U, Mirza SS, MacIntosh BJ, Herrmann N, Keith J, Ramirez J, Nestor SM, Yu Q, Knight J, Swardfager W, Potkin SG, Rogaeva E, St George-Hyslop P, Black SE, Masellis M. APOE-epsilon4 associates with hippocampal volume, learning, and memory across the spectrum of Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Alzheimers Dement. 2018 Sep;14(9):1137-1147. doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2018.04.005. Epub 2018 May 18.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 29782824 (View on PubMed)

Swardfager W, Cogo-Moreira H, Masellis M, Ramirez J, Herrmann N, Edwards JD, Saleem M, Chan P, Yu D, Nestor SM, Scott CJM, Holmes MF, Sahlas DJ, Kiss A, Oh PI, Strother SC, Gao F, Stefanovic B, Keith J, Symons S, Swartz RH, Lanctot KL, Stuss DT, Black SE. The effect of white matter hyperintensities on verbal memory: Mediation by temporal lobe atrophy. Neurology. 2018 Feb 20;90(8):e673-e682. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004983. Epub 2018 Jan 26.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 29374101 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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MOP-13129

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

CIHR MOP-13129

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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