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Mild Cognitive ImpairmentPhase 2SNIFF 120NCT00438568

SNIFF 120: Study of Nasal Insulin to Fight Forgetfulness (120 Days)

A Phase 2 study testing Regular Insulin in people with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease, run by University of Washington at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to find out if insulin, when administered as a "nasal spray" into the nasal passages, improves memory in adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer's disease. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 55 years and older
What is being tested?
Regular Insulin
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
173 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Jun 2006to Dec 2011
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 55 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age 55 or greater
  • Good physical health
  • Memory impairment with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer's disease (AD)
  • Participants on stable doses of Memantine (Namenda) or cholinesterase inhibitors will be eligible

Who cannot join

  • Chronic sinus problems/allergies with chronic use of nasal decongestants or antihistamines
  • Significant neurologic disease that might affect cognition (other than AD), such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, severe head injury with loss of consciousness for more than 30 minutes or with permanent neurologic symptoms
  • Significant medical illness or organ failure, such as uncontrolled hypertension or cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, liver disease, or kidney disease
  • Preexisting diabetes or current or previous use of hypoglycemic agents or insulin; participants will be excluded if they have a fasting blood sugar greater than 165 on baseline OGTT
  • Clinically significant elevations in liver function tests, cholesterol, or triglycerides
  • Major psychiatric disorders (e.g., untreated major depression and schizophrenia)
  • Chronic use of the following types of medications: anti-psychotic, anxiolytic, and opiates

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Veterans Administration Puget Sound Health Care System

    Seattle, Washington, 98108

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Therapeutic Effects of Intranasal Insulin Administration in AD

The purpose of this study is to find out if insulin, when administered as a "nasal spray" into the nasal passages, improves memory in adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer's disease.

Read the detailed description

A growing body of evidence suggests that insulin plays a role in normal memory processes and that insulin abnormalities may contribute to cognitive and brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Interestingly, insulin administered to the nasal cavity is transported within a few minutes into the brain, but does not affect blood sugar or insulin levels.

This study will consist of a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group trial in which 90 participants with AD or MCI receive daily intranasal administrations of either insulin (10 or 20 IU twice a day for a total dose of 20 or 40 IU per day) or placebo (saline twice a day) for 4 months. The study will examine the effects of intranasal insulin administration on cognition, cerebral glucose metabolism, and β-amyloid (Aβ) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma, testing the hypothesis that daily intranasal insulin administration for 4 months will facilitate memory for adults with AD, and adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A subset of participants will have the option to participate in 2 sub-studies: PET scans (prior to and at the end of treatment) to determine whether intranasal insulin increases cerebral glucose metabolism; lumbar punctures (LPs) before and at the end of treatment to determine effects of intranasal insulin administration on CSF Aβ levels.

Being tested
Regular Insulin, Placebo
Keywords
amyloid protein, brain metabolism, glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity /resistance, cognition disorders
Medical subject headings
Cognitive Dysfunction, Alzheimer Disease, Amyloidosis, Cognition Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Regular InsulinDrug

    Also called Novolin U-100

    administered intra-nasally twice a day for 16 weeks

  • PlaceboDrug

    Also called saline

    administered intra-nasally twice a day for 16 weeks

Study groups in NCT00438568
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
1Placebo comparatorsaline
Receives: Drug: Placebo
2Experimental10 Units
Receives: Drug: Regular Insulin
3Experimental20 Units
Receives: Drug: Regular Insulin

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Changes in cognition

    Measured: every 8 weeks for 16 weeks, again at 8 weeks post-treatment (24 weeks)

  2. glucose metabolism

    Measured: every 8 weeks for 16 weeks, again at 8 weeks post-treatment (24 weeks)

  3. plasma biological markers

    Measured: every 8 weeks for 16 weeks, again at 8 weeks post-treatment (24 weeks)

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. CSF biological markers

    Measured: every 8 weeks for 16 weeks, again at 8 weeks post-treatment (24 weeks)

  2. cerebral glucose metabolism

    Measured: every 8 weeks for 16 weeks, again at 8 weeks post-treatment (24 weeks)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted22 Feb 2007 (estimated)
  2. Study startJun 2006
  3. Primary completionDec 2011
  4. Study completionDec 2011

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
173 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00438568
Sponsor's protocol ID
30579-B
Other IDs
5R01AG027415, 1R01AG027415-01
Acronym
SNIFF 120
Status last verified
Sep 2012
First submitted
21 Feb 2007
Last updated
14 Sep 2012
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Reger MA, Watson GS, Frey WH 2nd, Baker LD, Cholerton B, Keeling ML, Belongia DA, Fishel MA, Plymate SR, Schellenberg GD, Cherrier MM, Craft S. Effects of intranasal insulin on cognition in memory-impaired older adults: modulation by APOE genotype. Neurobiol Aging. 2006 Mar;27(3):451-8. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.03.016. Epub 2005 Jun 16.

    PubMed 15964100
  • Reger MA, Craft S. Intranasal insulin administration: a method for dissociating central and peripheral effects of insulin. Drugs Today (Barc). 2006 Nov;42(11):729-39. doi: 10.1358/dot.2006.42.11.1007675.

    PubMed 17171192
  • Fishel MA, Watson GS, Montine TJ, Wang Q, Green PS, Kulstad JJ, Cook DG, Peskind ER, Baker LD, Goldgaber D, Nie W, Asthana S, Plymate SR, Schwartz MW, Craft S. Hyperinsulinemia provokes synchronous increases in central inflammation and beta-amyloid in normal adults. Arch Neurol. 2005 Oct;62(10):1539-44. doi: 10.1001/archneur.62.10.noc50112.

    PubMed 16216936
  • Craft S, Baker LD, Montine TJ, Minoshima S, Watson GS, Claxton A, Arbuckle M, Callaghan M, Tsai E, Plymate SR, Green PS, Leverenz J, Cross D, Gerton B. Intranasal insulin therapy for Alzheimer disease and amnestic mild cognitive impairment: a pilot clinical trial. Arch Neurol. 2012 Jan;69(1):29-38. doi: 10.1001/archneurol.2011.233. Epub 2011 Sep 12.

    PubMed 21911655

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing Regular Insulin in people with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease, run by University of Washington at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Sep 2012. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Changes in cognition (time frame: every 8 weeks for 16 weeks, again at 8 weeks post-treatment (24 weeks)). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00438568, which also lists 4 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Sep 2012.

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