Contact Us
Do you have questions about participating in a research study? Want to talk with someone at KU Alzheimer's Disease Research Center?
Contact UsAt the KU Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, we're doing more than imagining the future. We're doing the work to make it real. Join us and be part of the progress.
To learn how you or a loved one can take part in a study, call 913-588-0555 (choose option 1) or complete the Sign Me Up! form online.
This non-research, text-based program supports caregivers of people with dementia (available in English and Spanish).
Type of Study: This is a quality improvement program, not a research study. Program participants will receive educational and skill-building text messages to support their caregiving including the ability to chat with a trained coach who can help connect participants with resources.
Who can participate? Caregivers of individuals with dementia in Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte, and Ray counties
What are the procedures? Two phone calls, not in person. (baseline and 6-mo. follow up)
How long is the program? Six months
Is there compensation? No
Click here to sign up or email kuadrc@kumc.edu for more information.
Nutrition plays an important role in disease prevention and brain health, but we don’t know how the nutrition status of caregivers and how it impacts their care recipients. This study’s objective is to characterize the nutrition-related needs of caregivers/persons with dementia pairs and evaluate for relationships between caregiver characteristics and care recipient’s nutrition status and to identify perceived caregiver nutrition needs, barriers, and facilitators to guide the design of a future study.
Type of Study: Observational (no treatment)
Who can participate? Adult caregivers of a person with dementia
What are the procedures? A registered dietitian will complete a brief, non-invasive physical exam with both the caregiver and your care recipient. Exams will occur separately/privately and take about 30 minutes. There are multiple questionnaires that ask about food and nutrition knowledge, history, and caregiving experience in general. Most questionnaires can be completed separately, all together it will take approximately 2 hours to complete.
How long is the study? One in-person visit (approximately 2 hours)
Is there any compensation? Yes
Why is this research being done? We want to better understand the nutritional needs of caregivers and factors associated with nutrition status in persons with dementia. Our long-term goal is to optimize the nutrition status of caregivers and their care recipients through pragmatic intervention.
A National Institute of Health (NIH) grant-funded study to develop and maintain a well characterized group of individual to support further research on memory and aging.
Type of Study: Observational (no treatment)
Who can participate? Individuals with memory loss of any age
What are the procedures? Clinical memory assessment, pen and paper test, blood draw
How long is participation? Up to 3 visits annually
Is there compensation? No
A long-term study looking at how vascular health (your heart and blood vessels) may affect memory and brain health. Participants must be enrolled in the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Center Clinical Cohort study.
Type of Study: Observational (no treatment)
Who can participate? Clinical Cohort participants with and without memory loss, age 55-85 years old
What are the procedures? MRI and PET brain imaging, and vascular measures (ultrasound, blood pressure, artery stiffness)
How long is participation? Baseline visit and 3 annual follow up visits (not including Clinical Cohort visits)
Is there compensation? Yes
A public/private collaboration between academia and industry to study biomarkers and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Type of Study: Observational (no treatment)
Who can participate? Individuals with normal cognition ages 65-90 and individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment or mild Alzheimer’s disease ages 55-90
What are the procedures? Participants will undergo longitudinal clinical and cognitive assessments, computerized cognitive batteries, biomarker and genetic tests, PET (FDG, amyloid and tau) and MRI scans and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) collection
How long is participation? Up to five years, with annual visits
Is there compensation? Yes
A study to test how the brain uses glucose after a single bout of aerobic exercise in older adults and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Type of Study: Short-term observational
Who can participate? Adults over 60 years old. Both normal cognition, and mild memory complaints
What are the procedures? Pen and paper tests, questionnaires, blood draws, fitness tests, PET scans, a single bout of aerobic exercise, blood draws, MRI
How long is participation? 4-5 week, 4 visits
Is there compensation? Yes
A study to explore whether cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia improves cognitive function in older adults and reduces the rate of beta amyloid deposition.
Type of Study: Behavioral intervention (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia)
Who can participate? Individuals age 60-85 with insomnia who are cognitively normal
What are the study procedures? 3 overnight polysomnography visits, 3 cognitive assessment visits, 6 intervention sessions, monthly phone call for 1 year, 2 optional PET/MRI scans
How long is participation? 15 months (6-week active intervention)
Is there compensation? Yes
Study to test whether group physical activity delivered over the internet can increase activity levels and improve quality of life for individuals with AD and their caregivers.
Type of Study: Weekly group exercise classes or exercise done on own with personal health coach, all done remotely from home.
Who can participate? Individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease age 55 or older and caregivers age 18 or older
What are the study procedures? physical activity monitor, functionality fitness test and fall screener, questionnaires, body measurements (height, weight, and waist circumference), medication record.
How long is participation? 18 months with 4 in-home visits (6 months active intervention, 6 months maintenance, 6 months no contact follow up).
A study to determine the effect of a ketogenic diet (KD) on cognition and function in Alzheimer's Disease and to define KD physiological effects and mechanisms of action.
Type: Diet intervention
Who can participate? Individuals with very mild to mild Alzheimer's Disease and a study partner
What are the procedures? Physical exam, blood draws, questionnaires, cognitive testing, MRI, urine testing
How long is participation? 3 months of diet intervention and one-month follow-up phone call with up to 7 visits to the CTSU and Hoglund Imaging Center on main campus
Is there compensation? Yes
A study to test whether endurance training, weight lifting, or both have independent and combined benefits for brain and body health as we age.
Type: Moderate intensity endurance exercise, weight training or both
Who can participate? Underactive individuals age 65+
What are the study procedures? Physical exam, computer and paper tests, questionnaires, blood collection, fitness tests, and MRI
How long is participation? 12 months of intervention
Is there compensation? Yes
A study to test the safety and efficacy of an investigational medication (AL001) in individuals either at risk for or with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) due to heterozygous mutations in the progranulin gene.
Type of Study: Investigational Medication (chance of placebo)
Who can participate? Individuals who are known carriers of the progranulin gene mutation, either diagnosed with FTD (symptomatic) or not diagnosed with FTD (pre-symptomatic), age 25-85
What are the study procedures? Physical exams, blood draws, questionnaires, infusions, MRIs, optional lumbar punctures, ECGs, pen and paper tests
How long is participation? Screening period up to 6 weeks; treatment period of monthly infusions for 96 weeks, 8 weeks of follow up or the option to enroll in Open Label Extension.
Is there compensation? Yes
A study to determine whether treatment with the study drug, BAN2401, is safe and effective in preventing or delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease in individuals with higher risk for developing the disease.
Type of Study: Investigational medicine (chance of placebo)
Who can participate? Individuals age 55-80 years old who have risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease
What are the study procedures? MRI's, PET scans, pen and paper tests, questionnaires, blood draws, infusions, physical/neurological exams, optional lumbar puncture
How long is participation? 4 1/2 years
Is there compensation: Yes
A study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of an investigational medicine in individuals with mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
Type of Study: Investigational medicine (chance of placebo)
Who can participate? Individuals with mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
What are the study procedures? Blood draws, physical exams, pen and paper tests, infusions, MRI’s, PET scans, lumbar punctures
How long is participation? Approximately 15 visits over 56 weeks
Is there compensation? Yes
The COG1201 “Shimmer” study is a medication trial assessing the safety of CT1812 (pill medication) as a possible treatment for people diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia with Lewy Bodies. Click here to indicate your interest: https://mailchi.mp/kumc.edu/shimmerstudy.
Type of Study: Investigational medicine (chance of placebo)
Who can participate? Individuals of age 50-85 and diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia with Lewy Bodies
What are the study procedures? Blood draws, physical exams, pen and paper tests, infusions, MRI’s, PET scans, lumbar punctures, and other assessments as needed
How long is participation? Attend 12 study visits over approximately 8 months
Is there compensation? Yes
The purpose of this study is to continue to evaluate the clinical benefit of aducanumab compared with placebo in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease or mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Aducanumab received accelerated approval from the FDA in 2021 and this study is being conducted to fulfill a post-marketing requirement.
Type of Study: Investigational medicine (chance of placebo)
Who can participate? Participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease or mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
What are the study procedures? IV infusions, memory testing, questionnaires, blood draws, PET scans, and MRIs. Lumbar punctures are optional.
How long is participation? Up to 134 weeks (about 2.5 years) for about 20 visits
Is there compensation? Yes
Why is this research being done? The purpose of this study is to continue to evaluate the clinical benefit of aducanumab compared with placebo in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease or mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Do you have questions about participating in a research study? Want to talk with someone at KU Alzheimer's Disease Research Center?
Contact UsKU Clinical Research Center
4350 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Mailstop 6002
Fairway, KS 66205
913-588-0555
Email: kuadrc@kumc.edu