Effects of Estrogen on Memory in Post-Menopausal Women and Patients With Alzheimer's Disease - Full Text View

Purpose

The goal of this study is to examine whether the administration of estrogen to post-menopausal women and women with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease will enhance their memory and their capacity for learning.

Condition	Intervention	Phase
Alzheimer Disease	Drug: Donepezil Drug: Estrogen Drug: Progesterone	Phase 2


Study Type:	Interventional
Study Design:	Masking: Double-Blind Primary Purpose: Treatment
Official Title:	Estrogen Modulation Effects on Cholinergic Function in Normal Post-Menopausal Women and Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

Resource links provided by NLM:

Genetics Home Reference related topics: Alzheimer disease

MedlinePlus related topics: Alzheimer's Disease Memory Menopause

Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center resources: Familial Alzheimer Disease

U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by National Institute on Aging (NIA):


Estimated Enrollment:	45
Study Start Date:	September 1999
Study Completion Date:	March 2004
Primary Completion Date:	March 2004 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Detailed Description:

Estrogen (EST) may have significant benefits in preserving cognitive functioning in normal aging after menopause and in decreasing the incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD). On a molecular level, EST has effects on a variety of cholinergic neuronal and receptor-mediated mechanisms that may be responsible for these beneficial effects. These neurons have critical relevance for the development of age-related cognitive changes and dementing disorders. However, little is known about the clinical relevance of EST-cholinergic interactions, either in normal aging or in AD.

The primary goal of this study is to test the hypothesis that three months of administration of EST to 1) normal post-menopausal women, and 2) female patients with mild-moderate AD who are concurrently treated with anticholinesterase therapy (donepezil), will positively change or blunt the negative and behavioral effects of drugs that block central cholinergic receptors (both muscarinic and nicotinic). Participants will be blindly placed on EST or placebo for three months each. After each three month period, they will be cognitively assessed after receiving single doses of the cholinergic antagonists scopolamine and mecamylamine. These results will have direct implications for the use of EST in post-menopausal women as well as interactive treatment with cholinergic drugs for AD. Researchers plan to recruit a total of 45 women (30 healthy, and 15 patients with AD).

NOTE: This study is only recruiting participants with Alzheimer's Disease at this time.

Eligibility


Ages Eligible for Study:	45 Years to 85 Years (Adult, Senior)
Sexes Eligible for Study:	Female
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:	No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Normal volunteers and women with mild Alzheimer's disease:
Non-smoker
No use of Hormone Replacement Therapy for at least one year
No menses for at least one year
Normal mammogram within the last year
minimum age is 45 for patients with Alzheimer's disease; 50 for normal volunteers
Maximum age is 85 for patients with Alzheimer's disease; there is no maximum age for normal volunteers.

Exclusion Criteria:

Women who are currently taking estrogen therapy.
Women who are smokers.
Women who have had breast cancer.

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00006399

Locations


United States, Vermont
Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont, United States, 05401

Sponsors and Collaborators

National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)

Alzheimer's Association

Pfizer

Eisai Inc.

Investigators


Principal Investigator:	Paul A. Newhouse, M.D.	Memory Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine

More Information

Additional Information:

University of Vermont, Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit This link exits the ClinicalTrials.gov site

Publications:

Newhouse PA, Potter A, Corwin J, Lenox R. Acute nicotinic blockade produces cognitive impairment in normal humans. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1992;108(4):480-4.

Newhouse PA, Potter A, Corwin J, Lenox R. Age-related effects of the nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine on cognition and behavior. Neuropsychopharmacology. 1994 Apr;10(2):93-107.

Newhouse PA, Potter A, Corwin J, Lenox, R. Effects of nicotinic cholinergic agents on cognitive functioning in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Drug Development Research 38:278-289, 1996.


Responsible Party:	Paul A. Newhouse, M.D, Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00006399 History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers:	IA0023 2R56AG021476 ( US NIH Grant/Contract Award Number )
Study First Received:	August 18, 2000
Last Updated:	January 13, 2009

Keywords provided by National Institute on Aging (NIA):


Alzheimer disease Estrogen therapy Post-menopausal women

Additional relevant MeSH terms:


Alzheimer Disease Dementia Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Nervous System Diseases Tauopathies Neurodegenerative Diseases Neurocognitive Disorders Mental Disorders Donepezil Estrogens	Progesterone Cholinesterase Inhibitors Enzyme Inhibitors Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action Cholinergic Agents Neurotransmitter Agents Physiological Effects of Drugs Nootropic Agents Hormones Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists Progestins

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 25, 2017