Clinical trial set for Alzheimer's drink

CHICAGO, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers are testing if a nutritional drink helps cognitive performance in those with moderate Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago are leading a national clinical trial of Souvenaid -- a nutritional beverage shown in a European trial to improve verbal recall in people with mild Alzheimer's disease.

"Our primary goal is to see whether Souvenaid can slow the worsening of memory difficulties in persons with mild to moderate Alzheimer's who are already taking approved treatments for the disease," Dr. Raj Shah, the lead investigator, said in a statement.

The 12-week European study, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia, involved 225 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.

The U.S. double-blind study will involved 500 individuals enrolled at 40 sites across the country. Participants will drink 4 ounces of Souvenaid once a day for 24 weeks or a control product without the Souvenaid nutrients.

They will be tested on cognitive and functional performance -- including memory, language, executive functioning, information processing and recall.