Could a common blood pressure pill help african americans with memory loss?
NCT ID NCT04522739
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether spironolactone, a blood pressure medication, is safe for older African Americans with mild memory and thinking problems. Twenty-five participants took either the drug or a placebo daily for one year. The main goal was to check safety and tolerability, with a secondary look at memory test performance.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Spironolactone (a blood pressure medication)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a safe way to potentially help memory in African Americans with early Alzheimer's.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early safety study with only 25 participants. It may not show any benefit for memory, and side effects are possible.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
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25 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2022
- Finished
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Sep 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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50 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Signed and dated informed consent form * Willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study * Self-identified African American * Blood pressure (BP) and hypertension criteria: normotensive and hypertensive participants will be eligible * Normotensive criteria: BP 110-140/40-90 mmHg and not receiving any treatment for hypertension * Hypertensive criteria: only controlled hypertensives will be eligible with BP range as in the normotensive criteria of 110-140/40-90 mmHg * MCI defined as: * Abnormal memory function per the Logical Memory subscale (Delayed Paragraph Recall, Paragraph A only) from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (the maximum score is 25): * Score \<11 for 16 or more years of education * Score \<9 for 8-15 years of education * Score \<6 for \<7 years of education * Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score 13-25 * Preserved general functional performance per Functional Assessment Questionnaire (FAQ)\<9 Exclusion Criteria: * History of stroke in the previous three years * MoCA\<13 or the inability to follow instructions to perform cognitive testing * Inability to participate in the study procedures: cognitive tests (communication limitations from language or other factors) * Active medical problem/symptom that interferes with the study procedures, e.g., chest pain, shortness of breath, or abdominal pain * Deemed ineligible by study investigators due to safety issues or non-compliance * History of the inability to tolerate treatment with an aldosterone antagonist * Hypertension * Uncontrolled defined as a BP \> 140/90 mmHg * Current therapy with RAAS modulating medications, i.e., angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi), renin inhibitor, or aldosterone antagonist such as eplerenone (Inspra) due to the risk of hyperkalemia and the interference with the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) system * Renal disease (baseline creatinine \> 2.0 mg/dL) * Hyperkalemia (K+ \> 5.5 milliequivalent (mEq)/dL) * Other neurological or psychiatric conditions that could impact cognition, e.g., Parkinson's disease and related movement disorders, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, or schizophrenia, untreated major depressive disorder, and other psychotic disorders * Abnormal thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) (\>10 milliunits (mU)/L) or vitamin B12 (\<250 pg/mL) as they can impact cognitive function. If the potential participant's TSH and/or vitamin B12 levels are abnormal, then the PI may enroll that person if it is thought the lab abnormalities are unrelated and do not affect cognitive function * Active medical or psychiatric disease, which in the judgment of the study investigators affects participant safety or the scientific integrity of the study * Uncontrolled congestive heart failure reflected by poor exercise tolerance and shortness of breath * Women of childbearing potential, i.e., non-menopausal * When potential participants are not capable of providing informed consent due to their cognitive impairment and a study partner/legally authorized representative (LAR) is not available to sign consent forms on their behalf
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Emory Clinic at Executive Park
Atlanta, Georgia, 30329, United States
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