Influence of Beta Amyloid Imaging on Care of Patients Cognitive Complaints.

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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When older patients develop cognitive problems - like memory loss - there may be any of several underlying causes, sometimes occurring in combination. Clinicians have a better chance of providing appropriate treatment if they understand what the cause of the problem is. A diagnostic tool can help the patient by helping the clinician to make a more accurate diagnosis. This study investigates whether a new diagnostic tool - beta amyloid imaging - may potentially improve medical practice. The tool can potentially improve practice only if it can influence clinical judgment. This study investigates whether the provision of beta amyloid imaging information influences clinical judgment. The investigators will conduct a survey that presents clinicians with descriptions of hypothetical older patients with cognitive complaints. Some of the respondents also receive beta amyloid imaging information. The investigators will test the investigators hypothesis that the information will affect diagnostic judgment and management recommendations by comparing the responses of clinicians who receive the beta amyloid information to the responses of clinicians who do not.

Official Title
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A Survey of Clinicians to Assess the Influence of Beta-amyloid Imagining Information on the Diagnosis and Management of Hypothetical Patients With Cognitive Complaints

Conditions
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Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Beta amyloid imaging


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Practicing clinicians describing their training and practice as any of the following: neurologist, geriatrician, psychiatrist. Included respondents must also attest that they are a physician who is experienced in the assessment and diagnosis of dementia.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 100 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Positive beta amyloid findings<br>Beta amyloid imaging results indicated a positive finding. | Device: Beta amyloid imaging<br> <br> |
| Experimental: Negative beta amyloid findings<br>Beta amyloid imaging results indicated a negative finding. | Device: Beta amyloid imaging<br> <br> |
| No Intervention: No beta amyloid information<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Influence of the Neuroimaging Test on a Finding of Alzheimer's Disease as the Underlying Cause of the Mild Memory Loss | Proportion of respondents who identify Alzheimer's Disease as the sole or a contributing factor that is responsible for the patient's cognitive complaint. | Online Survey - completion during the estimated 2-3 month field period | 
| Likelihood of Recommending a Medication Indicated for Alzheimer's Disease | Proportion of respondents who recommend a medication indicated for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, including Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists, Typical antipsychotics - e.g., Chlorpromazine (Thorazine), Haloperidol (Haldol), Atypical antipsychotics - e.g., Clozapine (Clozaril), Risperidone (Risperdal), Antidepressant - e.g., Citalopram (Celexa), Venlafaxine (Effexor), Antianxiety agent - e.g. Benzodiazepines, Buspirone (Buspar). | Online Survey - completion during the estimated 2-3 month field period | 
| Likelihood of Recommending That Spouse Take Various Cognitive Deficit Disease Management Measures | Proportion of respondents who recommend that the patient's spouse take actions that would be appropriate if the patient has Alzheimer's disease, including: (1) discussion of advance care planning, (2) monitoring of patient's finances, (3) assessment of how compatible the patient's job is with his conditions, (4) the initiation of precautions to ensure the patient is properly taking his medications to manage hypertension and hyperlipidemia. | Online Survey - completion during the estimated 2-3 month field period | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Neuroimaging, Diagnostic Tool