NCT03860857RecruitingPhase 3
Biomarker Exploration in Aging, Cognition and Neurodegeneration
The BEACoN Study- Biomarker Exploration in Aging, Cognition and Neurodegeneration
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 23 Jan 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
The purpose of this research study is to understand the factors that underlie changes in thinking and memory with increasing age. The investigators will test the usefulness of MRI, PET, and cognitive testing in detecting subtle changes in the brain that precede cognitive decline. An addendum to this study includes additional PET scans to examine the relationship between tau protein in the brain and cognitive decline. Tau is a protein that is known to form tangles in the areas of the brain important for memory, and these tau tangles are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. This sub-study research aims to look at the tau accumulation in the brain using an investigational drug called MK-6240, which is a radio tracer that gets injected prior to a positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Phase (registry)
- Phase 3
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 300 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 15 Feb 2019
- Start date
- 1 May 2018
- Primary completion date
- 22 Dec 2026
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Irvine
- Diseases
- Alzheimer disease
- NCT number
- NCT03860857
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional · Phase 3
- Planned participants: 300
- From 1 May 2018 to the primary completion date, 22 Dec 2026
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- PET contraindications, e.g. significant prior radiation exposure and pregnancy.
Other illness
- Significant co-morbid neurologic disease such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, brain cyst, tumor or aneurysm;
- Major health conditions, except for Type II diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension, which are NOT exclusionary for this study given their high prevalence in our target populations;
- Significant psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, except for depression and anxiety, which are NOT exclusionary for this study given their high prevalence in our target populations;
- Existing diagnosis of dementia or mild cognitive impairment;
- MRI contraindications, e.g. pacemakers, aneurysm clips, artificial heart valves, ear implants, metal fragments or foreign objects in the eyes, skin or body. Females who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant are also excluded;
Other
- Alcohol or substance abuse or dependence within the past 2 years (DSM-IV criteria);
Who the study is looking for
- Aged 60 or older;
- Speaks fluent English or Spanish;
- Visual and auditory acuity adequate for neuropsychological and computerized testing;
- Good general health with no disease(s) expected to interfere with the study;
- Willing and able to participate for the duration of the study and in all study procedures including MRI and PET;
- Normal cognition defined as a Clinical Dementia Rating of 0 and a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 25 or higher. FAST Stage 1 or 2.
- Subjective memory or other cognitive complaints will be included.
Age in the registry: 60 years to - · Sex: All · Accepts healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, Irvine Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Irvine | United States | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.