NCT03597360

Low Dose Ionizing Radiation Using CT Scans as a Potential Therapy for Alzheimer's Dementia: A Pilot Study

Low Dose Ionizing Radiation Using CT Scans as a Potential Therapy for Alzheimer's Dementia (LDIR-CT-AD) Trial: A Pilot Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 4 (actual)
• Sponsor: Baycrest · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 70 Years – 90 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this project is to determine whether low doses of ionizing radiation (LDIR) from repeat CT scanning improves function, cognition and/or behavior in severe AD.

Detailed description

Alzheimer's dementia (AD) is a disorder of uncertain cause and pathogenesis that primarily affects older adults. It accounts for more than 50 percent of cases of dementia in the elderly and is a leading source of morbidity and mortality in the aging population. The most essential and often earliest symptom is selective memory impairment. While treatments can improve some symptoms, there is no cure or disease-modifying therapy, and the disease inevitably progresses in all patients. The mainstay of management is still symptomatic treatment of behavioral disturbances, environmental manipulations to prevent behavioural disturbances, and counseling with respect to safety issues. The goal of this project is to determine whether low doses of ionizing radiation (LDIR) from repeat CT scanning improves function, cognition and/or behavior in severe AD. This is based upon the treatments given in 2015 to a patient in hospice in the USA with advanced AD. On July 23, she received two CT scans of her brain. Two weeks later she received a third CT scan, and two weeks after this, a fourth CT scan. She partially improved and was discharged to an Alzheimer care home. In terms of the mechanism whereby CT scanning might lead to improvement, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced abundantly and constantly by aerobic metabolism in all organisms, damaging biomolecules including those in the brain. AD is postulated to be caused by the accumulation of oxidative stress damage in the brain that was not prevented, repaired or removed by the patient's own biological protective mechanisms. These systems, characterized genetically, operate against all toxins regardless of whether they are produced endogenously or by external physical, chemical or biological agents. As people age, their protection systems become progressively weaker. LDIR is postulated to stimulate adaptive protection systems. This may produce beneficial effects including improvement in AD symptoms. With about three-quarters of human tissue being water, most of the initial radiation-induced damage is radiolysis of water, producing ROS and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). LDIR leads to mild oxidative stress and strong signaling, which up-regulates protection.The degree of stimulation likely depends upon individual genetic factors. CT scans are approved for clinical diagnostic imaging. Approval will be requested from the Research Ethics Board (REB) at Baycrest Health Sciences and from Health Canada to use CT scanning for the experimental treatment of AD. If this pilot study is successful, i.e., if improvement is observed in the participants, then a proposal will be prepared for more comprehensive clinical studies of this novel treatment.

Conditions

• Dementia Alzheimers

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
RADIATION	CT scan	Participants will receive the first LDIR treatment in one session on the same day, i.e., two CT scans of the brain that delivers a total X-ray dose (CTDIvol)10 of about 80 mGy. Participants will then be transported back to Baycrest Health Sciences. Participants will receive another LDIR treatment, i.e. a single CT scan of the brain (40 mGy), 2 weeks after the first session. They will receive a third LDIR treatment, i.e., a single CT scan of the brain (40 mGy), 2 weeks after the second session. Date, time and X-ray dose will be recorded for each participant and sent to their family physician for entry into in their health record.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-01-08
• Primary completion: 2020-04-01
• Completion: 2020-04-01
• First posted: 2018-07-24
• Last updated: 2022-03-02

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada