A Note from the IMAGE Group

In 2007, the IMAGE group will enter its eighth year of research. Since 2000, we have conducted many studies on the physiology of aging. To name a few, we have examined how changes in hormones affect bone and muscle health, how stress influences weight gain, and how exercise can improve the quality of life in people with a history of cancer.

None of our studies would have been possible without volunteers like you. The IMAGE staff would like to thank you for your commitment, time, and energy. Each day your presence enriches our lives and your contribution to the scientific research process does not go unnoticed. We wish you a happy and healthy 2007.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Helen Keller

Healthy Adults Needed for Parkinson's Disease Study

After last quarter’s newsletter publication, six people volunteered for the Parkinson’s Disease study. However, we still need a few more healthy adults, who do not have Parkinson’s Disease, to participate in one visit that would last about one hour.

One goal of the Parkinson’s Disease study is to determine how many calories people with Parkinson’s Disease burn while walking. The study investigators are also recruiting healthy volunteers to establish reference levels of the calorie cost of walking. Eligible participants are healthy, 50-to 80-year-old women and men who are able to walk on a treadmill for approximately 30 minutes. For more information on this study, please contact Jaime Salay at 303-724-1266 or

The Parkinson’s Disease study is led by Margaret Schenkman, PT PhD, from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. It is funded by the National Institutes of Health and has been approved by the Colorado Multiple Institution Review Board (protocol # 02-750).

Could a “Diabetes” Drug, Pioglitazone, Help Memory and the Ability to Think?

Investigators from the IMAGE group and the Center on Aging are collaborating on a new study that will examine the effects of the medication, Pioglitazone, on cognitive function. Pioglitazone is an FDA-approved drug used for the treatment of diabetes. It is known that people with diabetes have a higher risk for developing memory problems. This study will determine whether Pioglitazone also has benefits on thinking and memory ability in people who do not have diabetes but who do have risk factors for heart disease and diabetes such as high body fat, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar.

Volunteers for the Pioglitazone study will have medical exams and cognitive tests (such as memory and other thinking tasks) to determine if they are good candidates for the study. Those who are enrolled in the study will take a pill each day for 6 months. The pill will be 30-45 mg of Pioglitazone or a placebo tablet (no active drug). Over the duration of the study, the participants will come in for testing for about 7–10 visits. Women and men who do not have diabetes are currently being recruited for participation in the Pioglitazone study. To be eligible to participate, you must be aged 55 years or older and have at least 2 of the following characteristics:

• Large waist size and/or overweight
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• High glucose (blood sugar)

Because diabetes risk factors are quite common in minority groups, the researchers hope to enroll a large number of Hispanics in this study.

Patricia Heyn, PhD is the Principal Investigator for this study. For further information, please contact the study coordinator, Roxann Wetherington, at 303-315-1535 or by email to . This study is funded by the UCD School of Medicine, Center for Human Nutrition, and the University of Colorado Hospital General Clinic Research Center. It has been approved by the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board (protocol # 06-0388).

• The Mr. ACET study is examining how the use of acetaminophen and ibuprofen in older, exercising men, affects muscle and bone health. Eligible participants are men, 60 years and older, who are not currently in a weight lifting program, have no history of peptic ulcers or stomach bleeding, and do not typically use acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or similar drugs more than 3 days per month. (COMIRB # 06-0343)
• The New-to-ADT study is examining changes in muscle that occur in men on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Eligible participants are men, 45-85 years who have prostate cancer that has not spread to other organs, who plan to begin ADT. (COMIRB #05-0196)
• The TEAM study is examining the effects of testosterone supplementation and exercise in men who have low-normal testosterone levels. Eligible participants are men, 60 years and older, non-smokers, in good general health, and not currently doing high-intensity weight lifting exercise. (COMIRB # 02-1056)
• The PROXI study is determining if weight lifting helps to prevent the loss of muscle and bone mass that occurs in men with prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Eligible participants are men, 45-85 years, with prostate cancer, who are taking ADT or plan to start ADT. (COMIRB #02-0958)
• The TANDEM study is investigating how the reproductive hormones, testosterone and estrogen, relate to the health and function of the cardiovascular system. Eligible participants are healthy men, non-smokers, 21-35 years. (COMIRB # 05-0183)

• The START study is determining how short-term exercise and diet affects stress hormones. Eligible participants are postmenopausal women, 45-70 years, who are currently on hormone therapy. (COMIRB # 01-0634)

• The Pioglitazone study is investigating how a drug used to treat diabetes will affect memory and thinking ability of people at risk for diabetes and cognitive impairments. Eligible participants are 55 years and older who have risk factors for heart disease and diabetes such as high body fat, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. (COMIRB #06-0388)
• The Parkinson’s Disease study is examining how different forms of exercise help improve daily function and the ability to “stay active” in people with Parkinson’s disease. Eligible participants are people with Parkinson's who are able to function independently. (COMIRB #02-0750)