RESEARCH STUDY: THE EFFECTS OF EMOTIONS ON MEMORY IN NORMAL AGING AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Current Research

Our laboratory is investigating the different brain changes that are seen in Alzheimer's Disease, with an aim towards finding new ways to diagnose and treat it early in its course. Some of the first brain structures to be affected in Alzheimer's Disease are structures responsible both for processing emotions and for the emotional enhancement of memory. This study looks at emotions and memory and their relationships to the brain, in people with and without Alzheimer's Disease.

Benefits of Participating

• All procedures are done at no cost to participants
  
• Complete medical & neurological exams and labratory tests
  
• Comoprehensive memory testing
  
• MRI Imaging of the Brain
  
• The information that you provide us may help us to develop new diagnostic tests and treatments for Alzheimer Disease in the future.
  
• All participants in this study will be financially compensated $100 for their time.
  

Eligibility

• Men and Women between the ages of 60-75 years old who have memory problems/complaints

Time and Requirements

• If you have not participated in another study at the Silberstein Aging Center, you will need to have:
  • a medical and neurological screening
  • a functional assessment.
  • a fair amount of cognitive tests (psychological testing)
  • some basic blood work and 12-hour urinalysis
  • a standard MRI scan of your brain
    
• The study consists of a series of neuropsychological tests designed to test your memory, your emotional memory, and your overall emotional tone. The entire group of tests should take 3 – 5 hours to complete. We prefer that the tests all be completed on the same day, however exceptions can be made as needed.
• The tests in this study will compare your memory for emotionally-charged material to your memory for emotionally neutral material. The kinds of tests that make up this series include:
  • Questionnaires evaluating your overall emotional tone
  • Interviews that assess your memory for recent events
  • Memory tests for stories, words, pictures, and smells
  • Computer-based tests for specific cognitive functions, such as your ability to form concepts, to pay attention to a task, etc.

The Potential Risks

• The potential risks for this study are extremely low.
• There are no invasive procedures involved in this study.
• Some of the neuropsychological tests are designed to elicit strong emotions, and therefore include a few pictures or stories of disturbing content. Some of these may be upsetting to you. Other tests are designed to be difficult to do, and may be frustrating to you. In either of these instances, trained personnel are available at all times to discuss these feelings with you, should they arise.

For additional information regarding this study, click here or contact Dr. Pauline McHugh at (212) 263-3430.

How You Can Help

In order to participate, you need to apply. You can access the application with the link below. Once you have filled out the application, it can be emailed to Dr. Pauline McHugh , or mailed to:

ATTN: Victoria Sweat
New York University School of Medicine
Department of Psychiatry
Center for Brain Health
550 First Avenue, MHL-400
New York, NY 10016

Click here for the Application.