Clinical trials of pharmacological and psychological interventions

We are international leaders in developing and evaluating pharmacological and psychological interventions to improve the lives of people with dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Our interventions are aimed at improving the mental health and lives of people with dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions.

You can find out more about some of our work in this area on this page. 

Featured research

COMMEND 

Motor neuron disease (MND) is a rapidly progressive, fatal neurological disease with no known cure. Many people with MND experience distress due to the disease's nature, impact and outlook. However, clear evidence-based guidance on how this should be managed is lacking. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of psychological therapy that might be particularly suitable for people living with MND. It aims to help people learn new ways of handling distressing thoughts and feelings, and develop ways of taking part in activities that are important and meaningful to them. Funded by the NIHR HTA and MND Association, the COMMEND trial is examining whether ACT plus usual care is helpful for improving psychological health in people living with MND in comparison to usual care alone. The findings will be announced soon.

Publication 

  • Gould, R.L., Rawlinson, C., Thompson, B. et al. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for people living with motor neuron disease: an uncontrolled feasibility study. Pilot Feasibility Stud 9, 116 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-023-01354-7

TOP HAT 

Visual hallucinations (seeing objects, faces or people who do not exist) are common in people with Parkinson’s disease and can be highly distressing, particularly if the person loses insight into the fact they are not real. Our Parkinson’s UK funded placebo controlled Trial of Ondansetron as a Parkinson’s HAllucinations Treatment will evaluate the effectiveness, safety and cost effectiveness of ondansetron in the treatment of hallucinations in people with Parkinson’s disease and a related condition, Lewy Body dementia and is recruiting across 45 UK sites. 

Publication

  • Tsitsipa, E., Rogers, J., Casalotti, S., Belessiotis-Richards, C., Zubko, O., Weil, R., . . . Reeves, S. (2022). Selective 5HT3 antagonists and sensory processing: A systematic review. Neuropsychopharmacology. doi: 10.1038/s41386-021-01255-4

DREAMS-START 

Around 40% of people living with dementia have disturbed sleep and medication, which is tolerance inducing and associated with significant side effects is neither a safe or effective option. We aim to change this with our DREAMS START (Dementia Related Manual for Sleep: Strategies for Relatives) study; a six session talking therapy for carers of people living with dementia. We are funded by the NIHR to establish whether DREAMS START will be superior to ‘treatment as usual’ in improving sleep in people with dementia. If successful, DREAMS START will be the first effective non-drug intervention of its kind and we will be ready to roll this out in the NHS.

Publication

  • Livingston, G., Barber, J., Kinnunen, K., Webster, L., Kyle, S., Cooper, C., . . . Rapaport, P. (2019). DREAMS-START (Dementia RElAted Manual for Sleep; STrAtegies for RelaTives) for people with dementia and sleep disturbances: A single-blind feasibility and acceptability randomized controlled trial. International Psychogeriatrics, 31(2), 251-265. doi: 10.1017/S1041610218000753

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