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

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Mild Cognitive Impairment
Alzheimer's Disease

Interventions: Device: Beta amyloid imaging

Registration Number: NCT02309723

Lead Sponsor: Tufts Medical Center

Brief Summary: 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.

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 315

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.

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Negative beta amyloid findings	Beta amyloid imaging	Beta amyloid imaging results indicated a negative finding.
Positive beta amyloid findings	Beta amyloid imaging	Beta amyloid imaging results indicated a positive finding.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Influence of the Neuroimaging Test on a Finding of Alzheimer's Disease as the Underlying Cause of the Mild Memory Loss	Online Survey - completion during the estimated 2-3 month field period	Proportion of respondents who identify Alzheimer's Disease as the sole or a contributing factor that is responsible for the patient's cognitive complaint.
Likelihood of Recommending a Medication Indicated for Alzheimer's Disease	Online Survey - completion during the estimated 2-3 month field period	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).
Likelihood of Recommending That Spouse Take Various Cognitive Deficit Disease Management Measures	Online Survey - completion during the estimated 2-3 month field period	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.