NCT05987007 · NOT YET RECRUITING
Sleep Interventions and Neurocognitive Outcomes
This pilot trial is testing two non-drug sleep treatments in older adults who already have amnestic mild cognitive impairment and sleep problems. One treatment uses sound to deepen slow-wave sleep; the other is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, a structured talk-based approach. Researchers are measuring whether better sleep translates into better cognitive and daily functioning over six months. This is a Phase N/A pilot — designed to gather early data, not to prove a definitive treatment.
You may qualify if
- English speaking participants, ages 60-85 years
- Telephone MMSE (T-MMSE) score of 22 or greater at screening assessment; T-MMSE \<18 during post-treatment visit or 6-month follow-up will be discontinued from participation of the study.
- Individuals with aMCI, as determined by the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised Logical Memory Delayed Recall (LM) and Quick Dementia Rating Scale (QDRS)
- Presence of subject memory complains not exclusionary. Presence of subjective memory complaints without objective signs of impairment (T-MMSE, QDRS, LM) would not be considered as the presence of late MCI or dementia, therefore are not exclusionary.
- Participants with regular and consistent use of sleep medications (sedatives/hypnotic use of >3 times per week) will be excluded. Participants who take sleep medications 3 or less times per week will be asked to discontinue medications prior to the study baseline visit. All discontinuation/tapering procedures will require PI's direct consultation with participants' prescribing or primary care physicians, which will be documented to ensure participants' safety.
- Presence of sleep disturbance, as determined by score of 8 or greater on the Insomnia Severity Index administered at baseline (without sleep medications).
- Participants must have capacity to provide informed consent.
- Have access to stable internet connection.
- A family member or other individual who is in contact with the subject and consents to serve as informant during the study; this can be a telephone informant in the case of subjects who do not have a live-in informant
You're excluded if
- Diagnosis of stroke or excessive risk of CVD
- Neurologic disease including movement disorders, MS, epilepsy, and TBI (with greater than 15 min loc)
- Untreated diabetes
- Active treatment of cancer
- Telephone MMSE score below 22 (Newkirk et al., 2004) and Logical Memory above 11 for subjects with 16 or more years of education, 9 for subjects with 8-15 years of education, and 6 for subjects with 0-7 years of education
- Presence of sleep disorders other than insomnia (moderate-severe sleep apnea, REM-behavior disorder, restless legs syndrome, circadian rhythm disorder). Mild sleep apnea will not be exclusionary.
- Current DSM-5 Axis I psychiatric diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, substance/alcohol use disorder, or bipolar disorder
- Use of antidepressants with known large anticholinergic properties will be excluded. These include: amitriptyline, amoxapine, clomipramine, desipramine, doxepine, imipramine, isocarboxazide, lithium, maprotiline, mirtazapine, nortriptyline, tranylcypromine trimipramine, and phenelzine. Other medications are allowed during the study and are not exclusionary.
- Participants taking medications with benzodiazepines properties will be excluded. These include: diazepam, quazepam, estazolam, alprazolam, clorazepate, clorazepate, oxazepam, alprazolam, chlordiazepoxide, lorazepam, flurazepam, triazolam, temazepam, and midazolam.
- Participants with moderate to severe depression (Geriatric Depression Scale>8) will be excluded from the study and will be encouraged to seek treatment for their symptoms. Participants with moderate depression (GDS 5-8) will be encouraged to return for screening after receiving treatment and seeing improvement in their symptoms.
- Participants who are unable to provide an informant.
The sponsor's own eligibility wording, lightly reformatted. The study team makes the final eligibility decision — worth discussing with your doctor.
Eligibility criteria as of 2026-06-09