FACT: Researchers have used nicotine in memory studies for more than 30 years.
When not associated with smoking, researchers believe nicotine can stimulate the brain systems for memory and attention.
We are currently enrolling volunteers at over 30 clinical research sites across the country.
MIND is a two-year clinical study testing whether the safe use of nicotine, delivered via a patch, can improve memory and functioning in people who have been diagnosed with mild memory loss or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
+ Who is eligible?
Participants must be healthy, non-smoking adults over the age of 55. Volunteers do not have to be previously diagnosed with MCI. Memory testing will be done at the screening visit to determine eligibility.
+ What does the Study include?
Participants enrolled in the MIND Study will be required to wear a nicotine patch during the day, and visit their local clinical research site once every three months for approximately two years. Study volunteers will also need to have a study partner—a family member, close friend, or caregiver—who accompanies them to visits in order to give the research staff feedback about the participant’s memory. Half of MIND Study participants will receive the nicotine patch, and half will receive a patch without nicotine (a placebo). The health of all participants will be monitored throughout the Study, and all health information will be kept confidential.
+ Who is sponsoring the Study?
In addition to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the MIND Study is funded by the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation and led by researchers at Vanderbilt University and the University of Southern California’s Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute.