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Tau aggregation inhibitor therapy: an exploratory phase 2 study in mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease
Wischik CM, Staff RT, Wischik DJ, Bentham P, Murray AD, Storey JM, Kook KA, Harrington CR.. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2015-01-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Background As tau aggregation pathology correlates with clinical dementia in Alzheimer's disease (AD), a tau aggregation inhibitor (TAI) could have therapeutic utility. Methylthioninium (MT) acts as a selective TAI in vitro and reduces tau pathology in transgenic mouse models. Objective To determine the minimum safe and effective dose of MT required to prevent disease progression on clinical and functional molecular imaging outcomes.
Key findings
- Methylthioninium (MT) acts as a selective TAI in vitro and reduces tau pathology in transgenic mouse models.
- Objective To determine the minimum safe and effective dose of MT required to prevent disease progression on clinical and functional molecular imaging outcomes.
- Methods An exploratory double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-finding trial of MT (69, 138, and 228 mg/day) was conducted in 321 mild/moderate AD subjects.
- The primary outcome was change on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) at 24 weeks relative to baseline severity.
Why it matters
This exploratory phase 2 trial tested a tau aggregation inhibitor, methylthioninium, at three doses in mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease. It was an early dose-finding study, and the text provided does not report whether it prevented disease progression.
Study details
- Participants135
- Effect size1.97%
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 72/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Alzheimer s Disease: journal h-index 218 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial (from PubMed type “Randomized Controlled Trial”) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2015 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 135 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 2 / 2 | Randomised and blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 268 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 20.6 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 25.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 53 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Charles R. Harrington: h-index 44 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 25550228) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 72 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3233/jad-142874
- PubMed: 25550228
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Alzheimer s Disease →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Wischik, C. M., Staff, R. T., Wischik, D. J., Bentham, P., Murray, A. D., Storey, J. M., et al. (2015). Tau aggregation inhibitor therapy: an exploratory phase 2 study in mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-142874
Vancouver
Wischik CM, Staff RT, Wischik DJ, Bentham P, Murray AD, Storey JM, et al. Tau aggregation inhibitor therapy: an exploratory phase 2 study in mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD. 2015. doi:10.3233/jad-142874. PMID: 25550228.
BibTeX
@article{wischik2015-25550228,
author = {Wischik, C. M. and Staff, R. T. and Wischik, D. J. and Bentham, P. and Murray, A. D. and Storey, J. M. and Kook, K. A. and Harrington, C. R.},
title = {{Tau aggregation inhibitor therapy: an exploratory phase 2 study in mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.3233/jad-142874},
pmid = {25550228},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-142874}
}
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