NeuroCare Community Project: A Community Based Prospective Observational Study for Early Alzheimer's Detection in HK

NCT07347574 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: HREP-2025-0390
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 2,500
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Population aging is reshaping societal dynamics and presents significant global challenges. By 2050, it is projected that 1.6 billion people worldwide will be over the age of 65. Given that aging is the primary risk factor for many common chronic diseases, reducing the burden of age-related illnesses and promoting healthy aging have become critical public health priorities. Notably, Hong Kong has one of the largest proportions of elderly and the highest life expectancy in the world. Dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD), is a multifaceted condition influenced by both biological and behavioral factors. There is a paucity of robust, community-based prospective data in ethnic Chinese populations that integrate clinical and cognitive measures with objective biomarkers and neuroimaging, especially at earlier stages such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early AD. This community-based project aims to establish a cohort of elderly in Hong Kong, with longitudinal follow-up for 2-3 years. A key strength of this research is the incorporation of a panel of blood biomarkers, which will provide a less invasive and more affordable screening tool to identify Alzheimer's disease at a much earlier stage in the community. Additionally, through benchmark with MRI and PET imaging gold standard, these biomarkers have the potential to predict the conversion risk 1) from clinically normal to mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD dementia); 2) from clinically MCI to Alzheimer's disease (MCI-AD dementia) or remain static; and differentiate non-AD dementia from Alzheimer's disease (dementia-AD). Collectively, these data will facilitate monitoring of aging processes and cognitive decline, help to identify candidate modifiable factors associated with resilience, and generate a de-identified, Chinese-specific resource to advance healthy aging in Hong Kong.

Conditions

Normal Cognition; Dementia; AD - Alzheimer's Disease; Mild Cognitive Impairment

Keywords

Alzheimer's disease; PET imaging; MR imaging; Biomarker; Amyloid

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Blood biomarker (baseline)

  Blood-based biomarkers provide a minimally invasive approach for detecting Alzheimer's disease-related pathology and for monitoring disease progression. Peripheral blood will be analyzed for a core panel that includes p tau217 and a multiplex 21 protein panel, with results generated under predefined quality control specifications.

  Baseline

• Follow up blood biomarker

  Proportion of longitudinally selected participants who complete the repeat fasting blood collection; report completion rate and reasons for non-completion.

  24 to 36 months after baseline

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in MoCA from baseline to follow-up

  Baseline to approximately 24-36 months

• Time to cognitive progression

  Baseline to approximately 24-36 months

• Multimodal imaging data collection

  Baseline (PET/MRI within 3-6 months of baseline blood) and repeat at approximately 24-36 months

Study Arms (3)

Cognitively normal (CN)

Participants with normal cognition

Other: Observational

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)

Participants with MCI

Other: Observational

Dementia

Participants with dementia

Other: Observational

Interventions

Observational OTHER

Clinical profile, blood collection, cognitive assessment, MRI and PET imaging

Cognitively normal (CN); Dementia; Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years - 75 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Community elderly dwellings

You may qualify if:

• Mentally capable of providing informed consent, with or without an informant present
• Willing and able to undergo blood draw and complete study related assessments; willing to be contacted for follow-up

You may not qualify if:

• Lacks capacity to consent even with an informant present
• Refuses or is unable to provide blood samples or complete essential assessments
• Currently enrolled in another clinical trial that could interfere with this study
• Known illness that prevents longitudinal follow up or uncontrolled medical illness such as neurodevelopmental disorder, neurodegenerative disease, epilepsy, central nervous system infection, neuroinflammatory diseases, brain tumor, cerebrovascular diseases, history of major psychiatric illness, history of major head injury with altered consciousness, sexually transmitted disease including HIV and syphilis, visual and auditory disability, history of alcohol dependence, substance use disorder, systemic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis, or malignancy.
• Active delirium or evidence of reversible/secondary causes of cognitive impairment (e.g., vitamin B12 deficiency, hypothyroidism) until treated/ stabilized

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases: collaborator
• Tung Wah College: collaborator
• Hong Kong University of Science and Technology: lead

Study Sites (1)

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Hong Kong, China

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Jiang Y, Zhou X, Ip FC, Chan P, Chen Y, Lai NCH, Cheung K, Lo RMN, Tong EPS, Wong BWY, Chan ALT, Mok VCT, Kwok TCY, Mok KY, Hardy J, Zetterberg H, Fu AKY, Ip NY. Large-scale plasma proteomic profiling identifies a high-performance biomarker panel for Alzheimer's disease screening and staging. Alzheimers Dement. 2022 Jan;18(1):88-102. doi: 10.1002/alz.12369. Epub 2021 May 25.

  PMID: 34032364 BACKGROUND

• Jiang Y, Uhm H, Ip FC, Ouyang L, Lo RMN, Cheng EYL, Cao X, Tan CMC, Law BCH, Ortiz-Romero P, Puig-Pijoan A, Fernandez-Lebrero A, Contador J, Mok KY, Hardy J, Kwok TCY, Mok VCT, Suarez-Calvet M, Zetterberg H, Fu AKY, Ip NY. A blood-based multi-pathway biomarker assay for early detection and staging of Alzheimer's disease across ethnic groups. Alzheimers Dement. 2024 Mar;20(3):2000-2015. doi: 10.1002/alz.13676. Epub 2024 Jan 6.

  PMID: 38183344 BACKGROUND

Biospecimen

Retention: SAMPLES WITH DNA

blood

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Alzheimer Disease; Cognitive Dysfunction; Dementia

Interventions

Watchful Waiting

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Tauopathies; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Neurocognitive Disorders; Mental Disorders; Cognition Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; Quality of Health Care; Health Services Administration

Study Officials

• Nancy Ip, PhD

  Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Nancy Ip, PhD

CONTACT

+852-23587304; boip@ust.hk

Kin Ying Mok, PhD

CONTACT

+852-23563164; mok@ust.hk

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Research Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 9, 2026
• First Posted: January 16, 2026
• Study Start: February 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 30, 2030
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 30, 2030
• Last Updated: January 20, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CN (1)