Memory Subjects Needed

Forgetting the little things can just be a symptom of a busy lifestyle. Everyone has memory lapses and it is not a cause for concern. But for some, it’s small lapses like these that may indicate a condition known as Mild Cognitive Impairment – one of the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

The Canterbury Geriatric Medical Research Trust (CGMRT) is trialling a new investigational medication that could help slow the progression of the disease. The Trust is one of six Australasian sites tackling early memory loss and is looking for people who may qualify for the clinical trial.

The line between every-day forgetfulness and early memory loss is extremely fine, so it can take a lot of work to find people who meet the criteria. Unlike many other clinical studies, this one is looking for people who may not even know they are unwell yet.

“We are looking for people who have significant memory problems but who are not yet incapacitated – by that, we mean that they can still perform all their daily activities, pay the bills, look after the house, fix something that’s broken, learn to use the latest iPhone…but they still have some memory problems,” says Dr Nigel Gilchrist, who runs CGMRT.

Dr Gilchrist says participants are motivated to take part in the study for a number of reasons. “Sometimes there is Alzheimer’s disease in the family, they are very aware of any changes in their memory, and they want to get it checked out. Others have noticed their – or somebody else’s – memory deteriorating and are worried about what it means. Another group wants to do their bit to help advance science in this area.”

A brief online quiz at remembertheelephant.co.nz will provide the first level of screening for anyone who is interested. To be eligible for the trial, participants need to be aged between 50-70, live in Canterbury, and have somebody who can bring them to appointments, amongst other criteria.

Dr Gilchrist is excited about the prospect of the new medication.“Currently available medications work at managing the symptoms of memory loss but do not necessarily slow the course of the disease. The medication we are trialling potentially does this. If it works, it would be an exciting breakthrough.”