What does the 1FloridaADRC do?

The 1Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) is funded by the National Institutes of Health program, the National Institute of Aging. The ADRC evaluates people with and without memory disorders and other thinking problems for diagnosis and participation in research studies. Under the supervision of the Federal Drug Administration we will try new medicines to research their effectiveness on Alzheimer’s disease. We hope that many people who understand the importance of research are able to help their own family and others in the future by agreeing to donate their brain after they die. The brain donation helps researchers to understand the disease changes and determine the effectiveness of therapies on the disease.

What is it like to participate?

Much of what we do is similar to what happens at a physician visit with special focus on your thinking and memory functions. We want someone who knows you pretty well and is willing to accompany you to the appointments to serve as your study partner. The study partner may be a family member or significant other. We will interview your accompanying study partner because everyone who comes to see us has a wife, husband, adult child, sister or close friend that is involved as we undergo health changes.

Who can participate?

We all know as people get older slow, normal changes happen in memory and thinking. In people with Alzheimer’s disease and some other late life brain disorders, the changes can interfere with daily function. We do medical evaluations to find out if the memory changes are normal or signs of possible disease.

We still don’t understand why some people have more severe changes than others which is one of our major areas of research. Your help is important for us to learn how, one day, to conquer these diseases. With your help we will work to develop more sensitive methods of disease detection that will become a standard of care for the disease. We do not understand why some people have Alzheimer’s disease and others don’t. Our purpose is to examine and follow people with and without memory disorders, determine the reasons, and develop therapies to slow down or stop the disease.

Many of our family members say “we are doing it for our grandchildren.” Alzheimer’s’ disease and related disorders will not be conquered by themselves. These diseases are complicated and difficult to understand and your participation will help us to learn and to understand.

Why participate?

We all know as people get older there are slow changes in thinking and memory that are “normal” for age. In people with Alzheimer’s disease and some other late life brain disorders the changes are more significant and interfere with daily function. We see people to determine whether their memory changes are normal or signs of possible disease.

We still don’t understand why some people have more severe changes than others but that is one of our major areas of research. Your participation is vital for us to gain knowledge that will one day help us conquer these diseases. With your help we hope to develop more sensitive methods of disease detection that will become standard of care for the disease.We still don’t understand why some people have Alzheimer’s disease and some people don’t. Our purpose is to examine and follow people with and without memories disorders, determine the reasons and develop therapies to slow down or stop the disease.

In addition to many of our family members say “we are doing it for our grandchildren.” Alzheimer’s disease and other related disorders will not be conquered by themselves. These diseases are complex and difficult to understand and your participation helps us understand.

How to participate?

Our Center is looking for people who are aging normally with normal memory in order to compare them to those with memory complaints. If you think you meet these conditions, please contact 305-355-9080 for more information and how you may help.

More ways to participate!

In addition to the evaluations of memory and thinking studies over time, the 1Florida ADRC does a number of different research studies which may interest you. These studies may include new types of “pen and paper” testing to measure memory and thinking abilities, or new medicines or other therapies to slow or stop the disease.

Pen and Paper Testing

Some tests involve using a pen or pencil to do a task on a piece of paper, point to something on a computer screen, or press a computer key or button to answer a question.

Clinical Trials

There are only 30 ADRCs in the country, as with all of the centers when you participate in a clinical trial your data is de-identified and is shared with other researchers around the country to advance research more effectively and quickly.

Biomarker or Imaging Studies

Biomarkers (a substance such as blood or tissue in your body that may point to a genetic disease, risk factor, or exposure to a substance or chemical) help scientists understand the range of normal to disease states. Biomarkers may show a response to therapies.

Brain Donation

Many people have arranged for their brains to be donated after death for scientists to study to identify specific disease and as a gift for scientists to study to increase understanding of the disease and to determine the effectiveness of therapies on the disease.