Alzheimer's Disease
Participating in Research
People with Alzheimer's disease, those with mild cognitive impairment, and healthy people with no memory problems who want to help scientists test new treatments may be able to take part in clinical trials. Clinical trials are studies done with people to find out if a new drug or treatment is safe and effective.
The Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Trials Database
To make it easier for people to find out about studies, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) maintains the Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trials Database. It lists clinical studies for Alzheimer's disease that are sponsored by the federal government and private companies. This database can be used to search for a study on a certain topic or in a certain geographic area. You can find it by going to http://www.alzheimers.org/clinicaltrials/search.asp.
Many clinical studies are done by NIA-supported Alzheimer's Disease Centers. These centers, located throughout the United States, carry out a wide range of research, including studies of the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer's. Two major studies currently underway are the AD Genetics Study and the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.
The AD Genetics Study
The AD Genetics Study is collecting genetic and other information from families with two or more living brothers or sisters who have late-onset Alzheimer's disease. This resource will allow researchers to speed up the discovery of genes that increase the risk for late-onset Alzheimer's.
The AD Neuroimaging Initiative
The AD Neuroimaging Initiative uses imaging techniques like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans to measure and compare changes in the brains of people with Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment and people with normal mental functions. Scientists are also looking at changes in spinal fluid.
One day, this information might help identify people who are at risk of developing Alzheimer's years before they have symptoms. Imaging techniques may also help doctors see how well patients respond to treatment.
The Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center (ADEAR)
To find out more about these and other studies, or more about Alzheimer's disease in general, contact NIA's Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center at 1-800-438-4380 (toll-free) or visit the ADEAR Center web site at http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers.
