Dementia, Prion Disease
Conditions
Keywords
vCJD, prion disease, dementia, old-age, surveillance, brain banking, public health
Brief summary
The purpose of this study to investigate if cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) and other forms of prion disease are being missed in older adults living within Lothian.
Detailed description
The study involves patients aged 65 years or over who have been seen by a neurologist or psycho-geriatrician and identified as having features that are atypical for the known types of dementia. All patients will be invited to an initial meeting with the research team to discuss the study and, if they agree to participate, for clinical assessment and epidemiological review. Participants will be asked to donate blood or a buccal sample for codon-129 polymorphism genotyping and may be offered a MRI brain scan if no such imaging has been previously undertaken. Participants will also be asked to consider if, in the event of their death, they would donate samples of brain tissue to the Edinburgh Brain Bank for use in this and future research. Telephone follow up will be offered within 1 month of joining the study and at 3 monthly intervals thereafter, with further clinical review offered if deemed appropriate.
Interventions
OTHERMedical history questionnaire
Epidemiological review of past medical/dental history; residential history; occupational history; family history of neurodegenerative disease.
OTHERClinical assessment and review
History of current illness; neurological examination including general appearance, full cognitive assessment and physical examination; MRI research brain scan.
Hospital patient management system; regular telephone contact with patient/representative.
OTHERBlood or buccal sample
Codon-129 genotyping; storage for future research.
OTHERPost mortem examination
Brain tissue donation to the Edinburgh Brain and Tissue Bank for research,including investigations for evidence of prion disease.
Sponsors
NHS Lothian
Department of Health, United Kingdom
University of Edinburgh
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Patients aged 65 years or above * Patients accessing NHS Lothian neurology and psychogeriatric services * Patients who have features atypical for the recognised forms of dementia * Appropriate informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* Patients aged below 65 at time of recruitment * Patients diagnosed with a clear alternative demonstrable pathology
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Evidence of prion disease pathology in the Lothian population, a description of the associated clinical/pathological and epidemiological features and referral characteristics, and how this compares with other cases of prion disease. | 4.5 years |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Description of clinical, pathological and epidemiological characteristics of patients with atypical features of dementia in the Lothian population. | 4.5 years |
| Assessment of the suitability of methods to support an extended system of enhanced CJD surveillance in the rest of the UK. | 4.5 years |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed