Patient case (clinical description): A 70-year-old man comes to the office accompanied by his wife.  The patient has experienced progressive memory loss over the last years.  He needs help with some of his routine activities, such as paying bills.  The patient's wife says, "He used to be such an independent person, but now he needs help with many things, even finding direction to home!"  Medical history includes hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.  Family history includes Alzheimer disease in his father.  MRI reveals diffuse cortical and hippocampal atrophy. The diagnosis of AD is made using the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association (NIA-AA) criteria.

Patient's own account: I am a 70-year-old man, and I paid a visit to the doctor with my wife the other day. I noticed that I tend to forget small things and that my memory has decreased over the past few years. I even ask my wife to help me out with my daily routine. I used to be the one paying the bills, but now she has to give me a hand. My wife mentioned to the doctor that I used to be independent and that I tend to forget where we live. I suffer from hypertension, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. My poor dad was suffering from Alzheimer disease, so I hope I'm not going to end the same way! I did an MRI and they found out that some part of my brain was decreasing. I also did an Alzheimer test.

Clinical trial: HP Xenon-129 fMRI of Healthy Volunteers and Participants With Alzheimer's Disease

Eligibility criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

        A participant is eligible for inclusion in the study if the individual meets all of the
        following criteria:

          1. Self-reported proficiency in English language.

          2. Equal to or more than 8 years of education.

          3. Normal or corrected to normal vision.

          4. Able to provide informed consent.

          5. Able to hold their breath for 20 seconds.

        Normal cognition for healthy participant group inclusion criteria:

          1. Preserved independence in functional abilities.

          2. MoCA score no less than 26.

          3. Males and non-lactating females of 18 to 85 years of age.

        Alzheimer's disease group inclusion criteria:

          1. Participants meet National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association for probable or
             possible Alzheimer's Disease dementia.

          2. MoCA score no less than 16.

          3. Males and non-lactating females of 60 to 85 years of age.

          4. Have a family member, close friend, or LAR that can be present for the informed
             consent process and study visits.

        Exclusion Criteria:

        A participant is ineligible for the study if the individual meets any of the following
        criteria:

          1. Serious underlying medical condition, other, then the condition being investigated,
             which may affect cognitive function of the participant (in the opinion of the
             investigator): substance abuse, psychotic or depressive disorder, advanced or poorly
             controlled cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic, renal, neurological disorders in which the
             patient has significant speech, visual, motor or cognitive deficit, seizure disorders,
             endocrine or infectious disease or active malignancy.

          2. MRI incompatibility as determined by MR Technologist during MRI screening.

          3. Self-identifies as claustrophobic.

          4. Female exclusion only: Are or may be pregnant; Planning on becoming pregnant.

          5. Is a student currently enrolled in a course at Lakehead University where the Principal
             Investigator (PI) is the instructor.

          6. Is a student currently enrolled in a degree program at Lakehead University where the
             PI is their direct thesis supervisor.

          7. Is currently an employee of the PI at the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute
             (TBRRI) and/or Lakehead University.

        Normal cognition group exclusion criteria:

        1. History of diagnosed neurological disease or injury.

        Alzheimer's disease group exclusion criteria:

          1. Existing diagnosis of dementia of etiology other than Alzheimer's disease.

          2. Acute Delirium on the day of scanning (CAM tool assessment)
No condition on gender to be admitted to the trial.
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Subject must be at least 18 Years old.
Subject must be at most 85 Years

Eligibility (NLI label): Entailment