Study Type |
Study Title |
Study Description |
BU ADC Research Registry |
Health Outreach Program for the Elderly (HOPE) |
This longitudinal study examines age-related changes in memory and thinking. It serves as the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center (BU ADC) research registry, where participants agree to be contacted about other BU ADC-approved studies. HOPE participants are encouraged to participate in the actively recruiting studies summarized below. |
Caregiving Support & Education |
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) Care
*new study |
This one year study examines a new data instrument to assess caregiver burden and the well-being of the person with dementia for whom the caregiver provides support. Participation includes three to five in-person study visits and periodic phone calls. |
|
CARE-Plus
|
This study examines whether an educational intervention with caregivers can reduce behavioral problems in AD patients and improve caregivers’ well-being. Participation includes a 5-week intervention with weekly sessions on AD and tips to improve interactions. The individual with AD is not involved in this study. |
|
Health Pathways |
This study looks at how caregiving affects one’s physical and emotional health among caregivers age 60 and older who currently care for someone with AD. Participants attend four yearly face-to-face interviews where they will be asked questions about their health and about the person they care for. |
|
Home Safety Education |
This study compares two types of education to find out if they help caregivers living with a person with AD or dementia make home safety modifications. This study includes two home visits for data collection and safety education. After three months, each participant is offered the alternative education. |
|
PAIRS Program |
This program pairs first-year Boston University medical students with patients with early-stage AD. The program educates medical students about the care and support-related issues faced by patients with AD. Student-patient pairs meet monthly to participate in activities throughout the academic year. |
Evaluation of Daily Living |
Functional Assessment in Dementia
*new study |
This study investigates the relationship between office-based cognitive tests and independent functioning in the home. Individuals with dementia, who are not living in an assisted living facility or nursing home, may be eligible to participate. |
|
SAFE Drivers
*new study |
This study aims to develop a brief, office-based evaluation of driving safety for older drivers that accurately predicts on-road driving performance. Study participation is for older drivers with or without memory problems between 55 and 90 years of age. The two study visits involve office-based cognitive tests and an on-the-road driving evaluation conducted by a certified driving instructor. |
Memory & Cognition |
False Memory in AD |
This study seeks to understand why patients with AD and other dementias frequently remember things that never happened. The goal of this study is to provide ways to reduce false memories in patients with dementia. |
|
Vision & Cognition |
This study examines visual change in AD, how it affects cognition and daily activities, and how visual interventions may improve cognitive abilities. Participants perform tests of vision, cognition, and daily functions, and a free eye exam is included. |
Neuroimaging |
Heart & Brain Aging |
This study uses heart and brain imaging and cognitive measures to better understand relations between heart and brain health among aging adults with mild memory loss. Participants attend a single study visit, and laboratory results are shared with the participant’s physicians. |
