This project is designed to study the effects of the dietary supplement curcumin on
age-related cognitive impairment. In particular, the study seeks to determine the effects of
curcumin on cognitive decline and the amount of abnormal amyloid protein in the brain.
Genetic risk will also be studied as a potential predictor of cognitive decline.
Subjects will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: either a placebo twice
daily or the curcumin supplement (Theracurmin®, containing 90 mg of curcumin). The
investigators expect that the volunteers receiving the curcumin supplement will show less
evidence of decline after 18 months than those receiving the placebo. The investigators
predict that cognitive decline and treatment response will vary according to genetic risk for
Alzheimer's.
The investigators will study subjects with memory complaints aged 50-90 years. Initially,
subjects will undergo a clinical assessment, an MRI and a blood draw to determine genetic
risk and to rule out other neurodegenerative disorders linked to memory complaints.
Subsequently, subjects will undergo an
-(1-{6-[(2-[F-18]fluoroethyl)(methyl)amino]-2-naphthyl}ethylidene)malononitrile (FDDNP) PET
scan and a baseline neuropsychological assessment to confirm a diagnosis of MCI or normal
aging. Once enrolled, subjects will begin taking the supplement (either curcumin or a
placebo). Some of the initial subjects will be asked to return every three months for regular
MRIs. Every 6 months, subjects will also receive neuropsychological assessments. At the
conclusion of the study, subjects will be asked to complete a final neuropsychological
assessment, MRI scan, PET scan and blood draw. Additional blood will be drawn at baseline and
at 18 months and frozen to assess inflammatory markers if cognitive outcomes are positive.
FDDNP-PET scans will be used to measure the amount of abnormal amyloid plaque- and tau
tangle-proteins in the brain; the MRIs will be used to monitor supplement side effects and
measure brain structure; the neuropsychological assessments will monitor rates of cognitive
decline; the blood draws will be used to determine genetic risk and to test levels of
inflammatory markers.