Study on memory, hormones and Alzheimer’s disease

Principal Investigator

Maria Natasha Rajah

Description of study

  • Natasha Rajah’s laboratory is investigating how biological sex, menopausal status in women, and genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (such as apolipoprotein E4 [ApoE4]) influence brain activity, brain structure and memory in healthy adults (18-75 years). In other words, we want to examine if there are sex differences in memory and brain function at midlife. Also, verify the impact of certain genes on memory and brain function.
  • In addition, we wish to investigate how hormonal changes during menopausal transition affect memory and brain function in middle-aged women.
  • We hope our results will improve our understanding of the influence of aging and genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease on memory and brain function in middle-aged adults.

Financial compensation

Yes

Functionning

  • Complete a medical questionnaire (available online at http://www.ugd-dmu.ca/memory)
  • Participation in this study involves two visits to the Douglas Institute in Verdun (2.5 hours each).

Visit 1:

  • You will have to perform a series of memory tests on paper and computer.
  • We will take a blood sample to measure your hormone levels and study the association between certain genes and memory.
  • You will be subjected to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) simulation

Visit 2:

  • You will need to perform memory tests in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device.

Benefits

  • You will contribute to the advancement of research in mental health

Eligibility criteria

  • Age: 18 to 75 years old
  • Work: works full time or is temporarily out of work (less than 6 months)
  • Education: Completed High School
  • Bilingual (one language has to be English or French)
  • No history of mental illness
  • No history of stroke

 

Information

To participate in the study, please contact:

Stamatoula Pasvanis
Research assistant
Phone: 514-761-6131 ext. 2877
http://www.ugd-dmu.ca/memory/
memoryandaging@douglas.mcgill.ca