Information about the ADRC for Participants and Families

Patient Volunteers

WHAT:  The Stanford Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) seeks volunteers with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body disease, or Mild Cognitive Impairment to participate in a broad, multidisciplinary research study of memory and aging.  Our goals are to help understand these disorders, to enable earlier detection, and to help develop more effective approaches to prevention and treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and related brain disorders.

WHERE:  Testing is done at Stanford Health Care and Stanford University

COMMITMENT:  Testing will involve 2 to 3 days of participation.  The visits may be spread out over a period of up to 3 months.

ELIGIBILITY:  Adults with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, or a related disorder.

WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU VOLUNTEER FOR THIS STUDY:  For most participants, the study includes a neurological examination, memory testing and questionnaires, brain imaging (MRI), genetic testing, the analysis of proteins in the blood (blood test) and spinal fluid (lumbar puncture), and a small skin biopsy.  We might ask you to participate in other studies.  Not everyone needs to volunteer for all these procedures, but research information is especially valuable when our volunteers are able to contribute multiple types of test data.  You will be asked to return each year for follow-up testing and to consider brain donation at the time of death.

Healthy Volunteers

WHAT:  The Stanford Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) also seeks healthy volunteers without Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or other brain disorder to participate in a broad, multidisciplinary research study of memory and aging.  One goal is to help understand and prevent memory loss that comes with aging.  At the same time, studies of healthy older adults help in our research on earlier detection, prevention, and treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and related brain disorders.

WHERE:  Testing is done at Stanford Health Care and Stanford University

COMMITMENT:  Testing will involve 2 to 3 days of participation.  The visits may be spread out over a period of up to 3 months.

ELIGIBILITY:  Healthy adults, ages 70 and up, without memory loss movement problems, or other brain disorders. (Mild memory loss is all right.)

WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU VOLUNTEER FOR THIS STUDY:  Healthy volunteers undergo the same research assessments as our patient volunteers.  Not everyone needs to volunteer for all research procedures described above, but research information is especially valuable when our participants are able to contribute multiple types of test data.  You will be asked to return each year for follow-up testing and to consider brain donation at the time of death.


Contact for Participant Volunteers and Healthy Volunteers

Contact: Veronica Ramirez
vramirez1@stanford.edu
(650) 721-2409

Principal Investigator: Victor Henderson MD, MS
Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine

For general information about participant rights, contact 1-866-680-2906.