Alzheimer's Disease Center

 

Sanders-Brown Healthy Brain Aging Volunteers

BRAiNS:

	Overview

	Specifics of the Program

	Links to Newsletters

Help Us Understand How to Better Promote Normal, Healthy Brain Aging for all, and Unlock the Secrets of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders

Normal Healthy Brain Aging

Since 1989 we have been studying normal, healthy brain aging in research participants from Fayette and surrounding counties in central Kentucky. This group, known as the Sanders-Brown Healthy Brain Aging Volunteers, has aided in unlocking the mysteries of memory and thinking changes associated with normal healthy brain aging, and has played a critical role in helping us understand what goes wrong in the brains of our friends and family members who develop devastating diseases like Alzheimer's and related disorders. You can be a part of this dynamic group of selfless individuals who agree to undergo yearly physical and neurological examinations, brain teasers and tests of memory and thinking, and agree to donate their brain tissue at death, helping us to understand factors contributing to normal, healthy brain aging and how we might avoid or prevent diseases like Alzheimer's.

Early Memory and Thinking Decline

Studying physical, neurological, memory and thinking changes in normal elderly participants in the community has helped us better understand normal, age-related changes in memory and thinking. These changes differ from the severe decline seen in Alzheimer's disease. Contributions from this group have also played a major role in helping us understand how to detect early changes that may herald the future development of Alzheimer's and related diseases, years before participants develop disability. These discoveries have allowed us to help many of our participants, by intervening to slow further decline in memory and thinking.

Brain Donation

While organ donation typically provides the gift of life for a single or limited number of persons, the gift of brain donation stands to benefit the millions of persons across the globe who are at risk for the ravages of Alzheimer's disease and other diseases that affect the aging population. If you are an organ donor, or have thought about helping in this way, please consider joining us in our struggle to prevent Alzheimer's disease, and promote normal healthy brain aging for all.

Who Can Join?

We are currently looking for individuals to help us in this cause who are:

• 70 years or older
• Have no history of neurological disease (stroke, Parkinson's disease, history of brain infection, multiple sclerosis...)
• Are willing to undergo annual examination
• Agree to donate their brain tissue at death for research purposes
• Of all genders, racial backgrounds, and ethnicities; minority participants are encouraged to enroll.

Will I Benefit?

Participation in this program is primarily a contribution to research done for the good of mankind, for our children, and our children's children so that they never know the pain of watching a loved one suffer from Alzheimer's disease. However, our staff physicians and personnel will always be there for you to help with any medical/neurological problems or memory/thinking problems you may be at risk for, or develop in the future.

Please Consider Joining, or Contact Us Now For More Information

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to ongoing research in the areas of Alzheimer's disease and normal aging for any and all interested participants. We hope you will consider this unique opportunity to contribute to our ongoing research efforts.

How to Reach Us and Find Out More About this Exciting Research Opportunity

Please call Diane Spencer (859)323-6422, email at diane2@email.uky.edu or Kathy Grossman (859) 257-5562, email kgros2@email.uky.edu to hear more.