Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Observational Ages 40 to 85

Investigating Tanycytes in Alzheimer's Disease and Frontotemporal Dementia

Official title: TANYCYTES' ROLE IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA: ARE THEY THE KEY TO WELL AGING?

Run by University Hospital, Lille · NCT05288842 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is trying to see how certain brain cells called tanycytes might be linked to hormone changes in people with Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia.

More Alzheimer Disease trials

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Ages40 Years to 85 Years
SexAll
Enrollment102 (estimated)
SponsorUniversity Hospital, Lille
Academic / other
Locations1 site (Lille)
StatusRecruiting
StartedSeptember 6, 2022
Main results expectedOctober 2026
Study endsOctober 2026
Registry record updatedMay 18, 2026
Trial IDNCT05288842 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates include individuals diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease or those without cognitive complaints who can undergo lumbar punctures.

Probably not a fit

Patients with significant cognitive impairment or those unable to comply with the study protocol may not benefit from this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This observational study aims to explore the role of tanycytes in the metabolic and hormonal deregulations associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). It will involve lumbar punctures and blood sample collection to analyze the relationship between these cells and hormonal changes, particularly focusing on the hormone leptin. The study will categorize participants into control and patient groups based on cognitive status and specific diagnostic criteria. By understanding the function of tanycytes, the research seeks to shed light on their potential impact on hypothalamic dysfunction in these neurodegenerative conditions.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could enhance our understanding of metabolic and hormonal factors in Alzheimer's and FTD, potentially leading to new therapeutic strategies.

How similar studies have gone: While the role of tanycytes in metabolic regulation is an emerging field, this specific approach to studying their impact in AD and FTD is relatively novel.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Subjects able to undergo a lumbar puncture
* Subjects registered with the French Social Security, in agreement with the French law on biomedical experimentation

To be assigned in the study subgroups, subjects will have to fulfill the specific following criteria:

Group 1: Controls

* absence of cognitive complaint (completion of the memory complaint questionnaire)
* absence of significant cognitive impairment: normal MMSE according to age and education levels
* Subjects capable of and willing to comply with the protocol and to give their written informed consents after having received and understood the subject information Group 2: Alzheimer's Disease
* Diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease dementia according to the NIA 2011 criteria1
* MMSE ≥ 16
* Subjects who have a study partner. The study partner is required to complete several scales and to drive back the subject after the lumbar puncture for safety reasons. If the subjects or their study partners are not able to drive, their transport fees will be reimbursed by the promotor
* Subjects and study partners capable of and willing to comply with the protocol and to give their written informed consents after having received and understood the subject information. According to the legal protection or the mental capacities of the subject, the subject will be accompanied by a legally acceptable representative during this procedure Group 3: Frontotemporal Dementia
* Diagnosis of probable frontotemporal dementia according to the FTDC 2011 criteria2
* MMSE ≥ 16
* Subjects who have a study partner. The study partner is required to complete several scales and to drive back the subject after the lumbar puncture for safety reasons. If the subjects or their study partners are not able to drive, their transport fees will be reimbursed by the promotor
* Subjects and study partners capable of and willing to comply with the protocol and to give their written informed consents after having received and understood the subject information. According to the legal protection or the mental capacities of the subject, the subject be accompanied by a legally acceptable representative during this procedure

Exclusion Criteria:

* General exclusion criteria:
* Subjects with dementia caused by a non-neurodegenerative disease, including patients with severe cerebrovascular risk factor load
* Subjects who have contraindications to perform a lumbar puncture
* Subjects who have contraindications to perform a MRI scan
* Weighted less than 45 kg

Associated illnesses or conditions:

* Subjects with other neurodegenerative disease such as Lewy body dementia and Parkinson's disease
* Subjects with other serious neurological disorder such as brain tumor, stroke, epilepsy, hydrocephalus and any condition which contraindicates, in the investigator's judgment, entry to the study;
* Subjects with severe metabolic or endocrine disorder (excluding hypothyroidism under stable hormone replacement therapy, controlled type 2 diabetes or common dyslipidaemia), previously known or identified at screening
* Subjects under metformin treatment.

Biological exclusion criteria:

* Subjects with known active HCV, HBV or HIV
* Subjects with clinical or significant laboratory abnormalities, previously known or identified at screening, in the judgment of the investigator

Others:

* Pregnancy or breastfeeding or Women of childbearing age without effective contraception (a pregnancy test will be done)
* Subjects with excessive alcohol intake or drug abuse, in the judgment of the investigator
* Subjects who, in the opinion of the investigator, have a risk of non-compliance to the study procedures or who are otherwise not appropriate to include in this clinical trial (for example, being impossible to contact in case of emergency)

Where it's running

  • Memory Resources and Research Center Lille
    Lille, France
    Recruiting

Study contacts

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How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.