Clinical Research Studies

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Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
Seeking Volunteers for Clinical Research Studies

Research is vital to unlocking the mysteries of Alzheimer's disease and other related disorders. Without the active participation of patients and healthy older persons, research into these disabling diseases cannot proceed. Therefore, we at the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center are seeking volunteers who are willing to participate in memory-related research studies. We are currently recruiting both people with memory problems and people without memory problems.

People without memory problems must be between the ages of 40 and 90.
People with memory problems may be of any age but must have a caregiver or companion who is willing to accompany them to their research appointments

Our clinic is located at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the Seattle neighborhood of Beacon Hill. All members of the public are eligible to participate and participation is at no cost. Some studies provide reimbursement for travel and time.

Many drug studies are called "double-blind, placebo-controlled" studies. These terms mean that participants may receive either the medication that is being studied or a placebo, which is a pill that looks the same as the medication but contains no medication or active ingredients. During the study, neither the research participant nor the study staff knows whether the research participant is taking the medication or placebo. In some studies, research participants may be offered a free trial of the medication after the study has finished. The details about all of these studies are available at the University of Washington’s Web site for research volunteers seeking studies: http://www.washington.edu/healthresearch/

OR for more information about any of these studies, you can also call our research center at: 206-764-2069 or 1-800-317-5382

Studies for which we are currently enrolling research volunteers:

Studies aimed at treatment and prevention

The Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) is enrolling research participants in several new investigational treatment studies. Finding treatments that actually change the disease process in the body is the focus of this new research. Currently the only available prescriptions for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease are medications that are mostly aimed at helping with the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease such as memory loss and trouble thinking.

These new studies are aimed at both treatment and prevention. Persons without memory loss, with mild memory loss or with Alzheimer's disease may be eligible.

Research participation will not cost you anything, and is open to all members of the public. Some research participants will receive a placebo (a treatment without active medication) for at lease some portion of the research.

To participate, individuals must:
Have a diagnosis of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, age 50 and older, or
Have mild memory loss or
Have no memory problems, ages 45-64
and

Be living at home (One study will allow residents of assisted living centers to participate.)
For people with memory loss, have a companion who can accompany the participant to all research visits

All research visits occur at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center in Seattle.
For more information, please call the UW Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at: 206-764-2069 or 1-800-317-5382.

Flyer (PDF file, opens in new window)

A study of the medication prazosin in the treatment of
difficult behaviors experienced by
some persons with Alzheimer’s disease

Some people with Alzheimer’s disease restlessly pace and become overly anxious. They may become uncooperative and resistant to care; they may even strike out or show other angry behaviors. Our previous research has found that a medication called prazosin may be able to calm these behaviors. Prazosin is available by prescription to treat high blood pressure, but is considered experimental for the purpose of treating agitation. The medication is not as sedating as other medications that are prescribed for agitation, and a person can remain on most other medications while taking prazosin.

In this study, we are seeking to test the effectiveness of prazosin in treating patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. We are enrolling people with AD or related disorders that live at home and are available for a 10-week study which includes two clinic visits and telephone follow-up between the two clinic visits. Participants will receive either prazosin or a placebo. At the end of the eight-week study, our research doctors will be happy to consult with the participant’s regular doctor to provide individually tailored treatment recommendations based upon how the participant responded during the study.

adrcweb@u.washington.edu
Please remember that we cannot guarantee the confidentiality of any information sent by email.
UW ADRC Director--Murray Raskind, M.D.
UW ADRC Education and Training Director--James Leverenz, M.D.
Last Modified: Monday, 22-Feb-2010 09:01:15 PST