The Effect of Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone on Cognitive Function in Individuals With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Subjects with MCI as well as healthy controls will be given GHRH at a dose of 1mg/day for 10
weeks.

This study is designed to investigate the effects of GHRH on the following things: 1)
cognitive function as measured by our neuropsychologist with a series of short tests; 2)
brain activity as measured by fMRI 3) lean and fat mass of your body as measured by DEXA; 4)
physical function as measured by a walking test.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Age ≥ 55 to ≤ 85 years

- Ability to sign consent form (score ≥ on the Mini Mental State Examination, MMSE)

- MCI group: MMSE scores of 23 - 26

- Normal Control Group: MMSE scores of 27 - 30

Exclusion Criteria:

- Diabetes

- A neurologic condition other than MCI which might cause cognitive impairment

- Baseline serum IGF-1 concentration greater than the midrange for healthy young adults
(300ng/ml)

- Presence of a pacemaker or metal implant

- Heart Failure

- Edema

- Active malignancy

- Carpal tunnel syndrome

- Disruption of the hypothalamic pituitary axis such that the pituitary is expected to
be insensitive to growth hormone secretagogues such as GHRH

- Known allergy to tesamorelin or mannitol

- Pregnancy

- Significant heart, liver, kidney, blood or respiratory disease

- Active cancer

- Recent (within 6 months) treatment with anabolic steroids, GHRH or corticosteroids

- Alcohol or drug abuse

- MMSE < 23

- Less than 12 years of education

- Significant findings on screening tests, including but not limited to, blood counts,
blood biochemistries, urinalysis, drug screening, HIV test, hepatitis panel,
electrocardiogram

- Other medical conditions deemed exclusionary by the study investigators