Research Studies in Aging at Penn

Do you have questions about clinical trials and studies being conducted at Penn? Visit the Office of Human Research for more information about becoming a Research Volunteer and about other clinical trials and investigative studies being conducted here at Penn.

Scroll down to learn more about what's happening in research studies in aging and aging-related diseases at Penn

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Research, Clinical Trials, and Investigative Studies at Penn

Do you have an interest in participating in a clinical trial or investigative study to help advance understanding of aging and a number of aging-related diseases?

Click on the categories below to see which studies are currently recruiting participants aged 55 and older. Be sure to scroll down as there may be more than one study listed in each category.

Alzheimer's disease	High Blood Pressure and Hypertension
Cardiovascular disease	Menopause and Post-Menopause
Caregiving	Neurodegenerative Diseases
Depression	Neurology (1)
Diabetes	Osteoarthritis and Osteoporosis
End of Life Care and Palliative Care	Parkinson's disease
Frontotemporal Dementia/Degeneration (FTD)	Sleep Medicine and Aging (1)
Healthy Aging	Weight Loss, Decreased Activity, Muscle Loss, and Aging

Depression

• Depression Research Unit, Perelman School of Medicine
  To learn more about the ongoing studies and trials in Depression at Penn Medicine or to obtain contact information to schedule a confidential appointment, please click here.

High Blood Pressure and Hypertension

• Lifestyle Modification and Blood Pressure Study (LIMBS)

  Is Your Blood Pressure Borderline High? Would You Like To Try Controlling It Naturally With Lifestyle Changes Such As Nutrition, Walking Or Yoga? Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania are beginning a research study examining the effects of YOGA, WALKING and NUTRITION on lowering Blood Pressure.

  Qualified participants will receive at no cost: study-related exams and lab tests; Study related classes, instruction and materials.

  Compensation will be provided for time & effort. If you are NOT currently on a blood pressure medication or taking regular yoga classes and are over 18 years of age, please call the UPENN LIMBS Study Coordinator at (215) 615-6570 or visit the study website: http://limbs.cohenhtn.com.

Neurodegenerative Diseases - Alzheimer's Disease

• Penn Alzheimer's Disease Center and Penn Memory Center

  To learn more about the ongoing studies and trials at the Penn Alzheimer's Disease Center and who to contact for more details, click on one of the areas below.

  • Treatment Studies - also called clinical trials, which examine the effectiveness and safety of new medications, vitamins, or compounds
    
  • Diagnostic Studies - where technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are utilized, and samples of blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid are examined to better understand the physiological changes that occur over time with Alzheimers disease
    
  • Genetic Studies - where through interviews regarding family history and examination of blood or other biological samples, we seek to better identify the role of genes and inheritance in altering the risk for dementia
    
  • Interview Studies - aimed at better understanding how patients and caregivers make decisions about dementia care, and participating in research
• CiTAD - Citalopram for Agitation in Alzheimer’s Disease
  
  Do you care for a person with Alzheimer’s disease who gets easily upset? CITAD is a 9-week treatment study to see if a medication, citalopram (Celexa), is helpful in the treatment of agitation in Alzheimer’s disease.
  Participant receives study medication. All participants will receive a medical evaluation and study procedures at no charge, and caregivers will receive education and support during the study.
  If you have any questions, please contact Suzanne DiFilippo, RN, CCRC, at 215-349-8228 or Jamie Czerniakowski, Research Coordinator, at 215-349-8227.

Neurodegenerative Diseases - Parkinson's Disease

• Rivastigmine for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
  

  Although Rivastigmine is used as a treatment for cognitive issues arising in Parkinson's Disease with Dementia, it is unknown if this medication would be useful in the treatment of PD-MCI. Fortunately, the University of Pennsylvania has developed a study to test this very issue. This study is a 24-week long clinical trial to see if the Exelon Patch (rivastigmine), is useful in treating MCI in patients with PD. This study is broken down into 2 phases, each lasting 10 weeks. In one phase, participants will receive the Exelon Patch, and in the other phase, participants will receive a placebo patch (no medication). There is also a 4-week break between the two phases. Participants will be evaluated in-person 6 times during this study.

  This study is being conducted by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania with Daniel Weintraub, MD, as the Principal Investigator, and Matthew Stern, as the Co-Principal Investigator. We will be recruiting participants throughout 2012 and 2013. Participation in this study is voluntary.
  
  

  For more information on this clinical trial, please call one of the following contacts:

  • Gina Mamikonyan, MS, Research Coordinator
    Eugenia.mamikonyan@uphs.upenn.edu
    Phone: (215) 615-3085
  • Daniel Weintraub, MD, Principle Investigator
    daniel.weintraub@uphs.upenn.edu
    Phone: (215) 349-8207
    
• A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Naltrexone for Impulse Control Disorders in Parkinson’s Disease
  

  This study is being conducted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine with Daniel Weintraub, MD, as the Principal Investigator, through support from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

  This is an 8-week research study that will evaluate the effectiveness of a marketed medication (naltrexone) in reducing ICD symptoms (compulsive gambling, buying, sexual behavior or eating) in Parkinson's disease patients taking a dopamine agonist. We will be recruiting participants throughout 2010.

  Impulse control disorders (ICDs), including compulsive gambling, sexual behavior, buying, and eating, are increasingly recognized as a significant clinical problem in Parkinson's disease (PD), occurring in up to 15% of patients. Dopamine agonist (DA) treatment is thought to be the primary risk factor for the development of ICDs in PD. ICDs often lead to significant impairments in psychosocial functioning, interpersonal relationships, and quality of life. The management of ICDs in the context of PD can be complex. Patients may be reluctant to discontinue DA treatment due to the motor benefits derived from treatment, so patients often have chronic symptoms. Thus, additional treatment approaches are needed.

  A medication shown to be efficacious for the treatment of ICDs with minimal impact on parkinsonism would allow many ICD patients to continue on full-dose DA treatment. Naltrexone, a long-acting opioid receptor antagonist, helps in the treatment of alcohol and opioid dependence. In addition, placebo-controlled studies have demonstrated that it helps in the treatment of pathological gambling in the general population. Opioids regulate dopamine pathways in areas of the brain linked with impulse control disorders, and opioid antagonists block opioid receptors in these regions. In this study, 48 PD patients with an ICD will be treated either with naltrexone (50-100 mg/day) or placebo for a period of 8 weeks. The study will assess if naltrexone improves ICD symptoms in PD and is well tolerated. To our knowledge, the proposed study is the first controlled trial of an agent to treat ICDs in PD.

  Participation in this study is voluntary.

  A person may be eligible to participate in the study if the following items apply:

  • Diagnosis of possible or probable idiopathic PD
  • Ages 40-75 years
  • Diagnosis of compulsive gambling, buying, sex behavior, or eating of >2 months duration
  • ICD behaviors that began after PD onset and in context of DA treatment
  • Current stable DA use Participants must be on a DA for 6 months and on a stable dose (no changes) for 2 months prior to enrolling the in the study
  • Willingness to maintain existing PD pharmacotherapy regimen for the duration of the study

  Certain exclusion criteria are in effect. For additional information about this study, please contact:

  • Kimberly A. Papay, BS
    Phone: 215-349-8390 or Kimberly.Papay@uphs.upenn.edu
  • Eugenia Mamikonyan, MS
    Phone: 215-615-3085 or Eugenia.Mamikonyan@uphs.upenn.edu
• Sensory Dysfunction in Early Parkinson's Disease
  Healthy older adults needed. Are you between the ages of 45-75? The University of Pennsylvania is conducting a research study to assess sensory, cognitive, and neurological function in healthy older adults.
  
  To be a part of this study, you must be between 45-75 years of age; be available to participate in a study requiring 8 full days of testing broken up into 2 sets of 4-day sessions separated by 6 weeks, and not have any major illnesses.
  
  You will be compensated for your time and travel. For details, call Geraldine Fischer at (215) 662-6580 or email geraldine.fischer@uphs.upenn.edu. When contacting us please reference the "Sensory Dysfunction in Early Parkinson’s Disease" study.

Sleep Medicine

• Melatonin Randomized Trial for Insomnia in the Elderly
  

  We want to determine how effective melatonin is in treating insomnia in people aged 65 or older. We are also trying to determine what doses work best. Participants will be randomized (assigned by chance) into one of 3 treatment arms: high dose melatonin, low dose melatonin, or placebo (contains no melatonin). This is a double-blinded study (neither the patient nor the research staff will know which treatment arm the patient will be in).

  Anyone over the age of 65 who has trouble sleeping two or more nights per week may be eligible participate. By trouble sleeping we mean difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up too early.

  Participants will be asked to wear an activity watch for one week and keep a sleep diary. There will be overnight sleep studies at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). Participants who complete the pre-treatment phase and qualify for the treatment phase will receive treatment for 6 weeks. During this time there are checkups at HUP and/or Presbyterian Medical Center and some paperwork. Participants will be involved in the study for approximately 4 months.

  Participants will be paid up to $500 in compensation. Transportation and parking costs will be paid through the research study.

  For more information, contact the Research Coordinator at (215) 573-3429. A person may qualify for the study if they are:

  • Over the age of 65
  • Experience trouble sleeping 2 or more times per week (trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early)
  • Do not have history of asthma, leukemia/lymphoma, autoimmune disease, or liver disease.

Healthy Aging Neurology

• The Neural Basis of Cognition in Healthy Aging
  

  Are you a healthy adult over 60 interested in helping to learn more about neurodegenerative diseases?

  The University of Pennsylvania is currently conducting research examining healthy adults’ brain functioning to help us understand compensatory neural strategies as we age. This will allow us to improve diagnostic accuracy and develop treatments for individuals with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

  To be eligible, you must be 60 and older and a native English speaker. You must also be right-handed. This study involves a functional MRI and is completely non-invasive. Compensation is offered for your time and travel.

  For further information, please contact Vanessa at 215-349-5863.

Ghrelin in Frail Elderly Subcutaneous Dose Finding Study: Weight Loss, Decreased Activity, Muscle Loss, and Aging

• Ghrelin and Improved Food Intake in Older People Who May Be Experiencing Weight Loss, Decreased Activity or Muscle Loss with Aging
  

Dr. Anne Cappola, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, is conducting a Research Study to see what dose of a hormone called "ghrelin" is needed to improve food intake in older people who may be experiencing weight loss, decreased activity or muscle loss with aging.

You must be at least 70 years of age.

Volunteers will be asked to come to the Clinical and Translational Research Center (CTRC) at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for 5 visits.  The ghrelin or a placebo will be given during 4 of the visits, and there will be no medications to take at home. There is no cost for being in the study and participants will receive compensation if they are eligible to participate.  Transportation will be provided.

Those interested should contact Terry Scattergood via email at Terry.Scattergood@uphs.upenn.edu or by phone at 215-898-5664.

 

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