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Albany Medical Center Seeks Volunteers for Alzheimer's Study

ALBANY, N.Y., June 29, 2007 - Doctors at Albany Medical Center are seeking volunteers for a study to determine whether there is a link between the level of copper in the body and the advancement of Alzheimer's disease.

The research study will compare three groups: patients with Alzheimer's, patients with Parkinson's disease, and healthy individuals to analyze the levels of copper, other trace metals and proteins found in each population. Working in collaboration with researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School and Pipex Therapeutics, Albany Medical Center is seeking to enroll 90 volunteers from the region - 30 individuals in each group - over a six-month period.

Trace minerals such as copper, iron and zinc are in various foods and are important elements in a balanced, healthy diet. However, the buildup of some of these trace minerals can be toxic and harmful to the body, according to various studies.

"Research suggests that increased copper levels may make the disease worse for people with Alzheimer's," said Earl Zimmerman, M.D., clinical director of the Alzheimer's Center at Albany Med. "If this is so, then a drug to lower copper levels might be useful in treating the disease. Our study hopes to confirm the link between copper and Alzheimer's."

Volunteers will require two visits to the Alzheimer's Center at Albany Med. During the first visit, volunteers will be assessed for eligibility and, once they have agreed to the study, will undergo brief physical, neurological and cognitive exams. Blood and urine samples for routine health screening will be taken during the initial exam. The second visit will be scheduled within a month of the first visit, and blood and urine samples as well as a buccal swab (swabbing the inside of the cheek) will be collected. The buccal swab, blood and urine samples will be sent to the University of Michigan Medical School for DNA testing, and for trace mineral and protein analyses.

To be eligible, participants must have a clinical diagnosis of mild to moderate Alzheimer?s disease; or Parkinson's disease; or be a healthy individual with no family history of either disease. Volunteers must be 50 years or older. Those participating in the Alzheimer?s group must also have a study partner to assess behavior and monitor daily activities.

For more information about the study, contact the Alzheimer's Center at 518-262-0800 or email heckmas@mail.amc.edu.

Albany Medical Center is northeastern New York's only academic health sciences center. It consists of Albany Medical College, Albany Medical Center Hospital and the Albany Medical Center Foundation, Inc.