Principal Investigator:  Dr Joe Kane                                            

Name of the Study:   COBALT

Why is this Study important?

Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD) are complex illnesses with a wide range of symptoms, which vary from person to person. Cholinesterase Inhibitors (such as donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine) can help people with DLB/PDD by improving day to day functioning and thinking abilities.

What is the Research question/aim?:

COBALT aims to find out if adding Memantine to a cholinesterase improves overall health and functioning for people with DLB or PDD.

At the moment it is not clear if taking Memantine at the same time as a cholinesterase inhibitor will help people with DLB/PDD. Memantine is a prescription drug used together with Cholinesterase Inhibitors to treat moderate to severe confusion in Alzheimer’s disease and may help to improve memory, awareness and the ability to perform daily functions.

What the Study involves:

Participants will attend at least three in person appointments; an initial appointment, with follow up appointments 6 and 12 months after this. During these appointments, participants will also be asked to complete questionnaires about symptoms, quality of life and financial impact.

Their trial partner, who will be someone who knows them well, will also complete questionnaires about the participant and about how they are feeling.

There will be four additional telephone appointments and an optional follow up call. The participants and their trial partner will be able to contact the local trial team outside of their scheduled visits, should they have any questions.

Who can take part in the Study?

• Patients with a diagnosis of probable DLB or probable PDD.
• Aged ≥55.
• Taking a cholinesterase inhibitor for at least 12 weeks
• Sufficient knowledge of the English language or support to understand the Patient Information Sheet and complete the trial assessments

Contact Information:

Dementia Research Nurse: Eileen / Nicola

Dementia Research Office Tel 028 96156010