What procedures are involved?

Research studies typically require procedures that provide information about what is happening in the brains of people as they age normally or develop Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. These procedures offer a snapshot of the brain’s health that can help us understand the risk factors and/or symptoms someone may have. Some of the more common procedures include:

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): This procedure takes detailed pictures of the brain using powerful magnets. It is painless and non-invasive (nothing goes into your body) and can show how (and how quickly) the structure of the brain may be changing (e.g., shrinking) over time. 

Positron emission tomography (PET): PET is a procedure similar to MRI but yields different types of information. Rather than showing what the structure of the brain looks like, PET can show us how efficiently the brain is working and how much disease burden may be present, if any.

• One type of PET scan shows the level of brain cell activity. Different diseases affect brain regions in characteristic ways, producing specific patterns of low brain cell activity that can be seen on PET imaging to help detect, diagnose, and track disease over time. 

• Other types of PET scans can detect the presence and amount of specific proteins in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Lumbar Puncture (LP): Some studies may ask for a small amount of fluid from the spine. This fluid, known as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounds and circulates through the brain and spinal cord. CSF contains important clues about what is happening in the brain. As harmful proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease begin to build up in the brain, they can be detected in the CSF. Measuring these proteins in the CSF can help detect very early disease and can be tracked to evaluate progression or response to treatment. The LP procedure is often optional in ADRC and Center-related studies, and participants may choose not to provide the fluid sample.

NOTE: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans are performed in all ADRC studies. Some studies may require other procedures. All study procedures will be reviewed in detail by the study coordinator if you are considering joining a study.