Take a daily supplement to help with sleep quality and memory

Back to Mild Cognitive Impairment Due to Alzheimer's Disease trials

Recruiting

What is this trial?

This study is testing whether spermidine, a natural compound, can help improve sleep quality and how your brain consolidates memories during sleep in older adults who are experiencing early cognitive changes. Researchers know that poor sleep is connected to cognitive decline and dementia, so this trial is exploring whether improving sleep with this supplement might help slow cognitive changes. You would take the medication daily for 12 weeks while researchers measure your sleep patterns and memory.

As people age, some experience early cognitive changes that can eventually lead to dementia. Poor sleep is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for these changes. This trial exists because researchers believe that this medication might improve sleep quality in ways that support memory and brain health, potentially helping to slow or prevent further cognitive decline.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are between 55 and 70 years old
you speak German at a native speaker level
you have subjective cognitive decline (you notice memory problems, but cognitive tests are normal) or mild cognitive impairment (objective memory problems on testing)
you can still manage your daily activities independently
you are willing to participate in overnight sleep studies and take a daily supplement for 12 weeks

You likely don't qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with dementia
you are currently taking antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, or sleep medications
you have a history of stroke, epilepsy, or other neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's
you have untreated diabetes, sleep disorders, or active depression or substance abuse
you are allergic or intolerant to wheat germ, gluten, or histamine

What participation looks like

If you qualify, you would visit the research center for an initial overnight sleep study where researchers measure your brain activity during sleep using EEG. You would then be randomly assigned to receive either the daily supplement or a placebo (inactive pill) for 12 weeks, with both looking and tasting identical so neither you nor the researchers know which you're taking. After 12 weeks, you would return for a second overnight sleep study to see how the treatment affected your sleep patterns and memory consolidation.

Testing a supplement to improve sleep and memory in early cognitive decline

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(1 site)