S u c c e s s o f R E A C T I O N S t u d y

In 2018, Dr. Christian Camargo received a “McKnight Clinical Translational Research Scholarship in Cognitive Aging and Age-Related Memory Loss” grant from the McKnight Brain Research Foundation through the American Brain Foundation, and the American Academy of Neurology. The study Reducing the Effects of Aging on Cognition with Therapeutic Intervention of an Oral Nutrient: A Pilot Trial (REACTION) reached the completion of patient data collection in December of 2022. This grant award provided a tremendous foray for Dr. Camargo (former McKnight funded trainee and current Assistant Professorneurocognitive neurologist in the Cognitive Division) to pursue his research interest in the oral multi-nutrient Souvenaid’s ability to promote the formation of new synapses and possibly improve cognitive symptoms associated with decreased synaptic plasticity.

Dr. Camargo and the study coordinator, Marisa Modjeski, exceeded the enrollment goal and focused on subject retention and completion. The REACTION study project manager Stacy Merritt, administered all neurocognitive tests in English, while Dr. Katalina McInerney, the study co-investigator, aided in the cognitive study design and administered Spanish neuropsychological assessments. The study team overcame hurdles posed by the Coronavirus pandemic by swiftly moving to operating the study and conducting cognitive testing entirely virtually. The team personally delivered the study product Souvenaid, in many cases and the utmost precautions were taken when there was in-person communication with participants. Subjects were enrolled with a 50% chance of taking the inactive (placebo) product and felt they were volunteering to make a difference in scientific knowledge of the aging brain and the effects of Souvenaid on memory and cognition. Not only did this help foster science and to truly use the AAN/MBRF funding in the most effective way, additionally, relationships were formed with 67 study subjects who are now loyal followers of our EMBI website, social media, and community education core. They have a great interest to participate in enrolling in other brain and cognitive aging studies, particularly in the NIA Precision Aging Network (PAN) study.