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Patient Services & Clinical Research Participation

CANDR's Research-to-Care Approach
At CANDR, research and patient care are not separate endeavors — they are deeply intertwined. Our scientific discoveries are designed to improve the lives of real patients, and our clinical partners provide us with the insights that shape the most urgent and meaningful research questions. For patients and families seeking memory evaluation, diagnosis, and specialized clinical care, we direct you to our clinical partners at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute:

UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute (UCGNI) — Memory Care and Brain Health Center
"The region's trusted memory and brain health team, backed by research, innovative treatments, and tailored care from fellowship-trained subspecialists."

Participate in Research — Join a CANDR Study

One of the most meaningful contributions you can make to the fight against Alzheimer's and related dementias is to participate in research. CANDR conducts a range of studies, from observational cohort studies to clinical trials, and we are always looking for volunteers across all demographics — including healthy adults, those with mild cognitive impairment, and individuals with established diagnoses.

Participation may involve:

  • Memory and cognitive assessments
  • Blood draws and biospecimen collection
  • Neuroimaging (brain MRI)
  • Lifestyle and nutrition surveys
  • Annual follow-up visits
  • Clinical trials opportunities

The Cincinnati Cohort Biomarker Program (CCBP)

The Cincinnati Cohort Biomarker Program (CCBP) is one of CANDR's flagship research initiatives — a longitudinal study collecting comprehensive biological and clinical data to advance our understanding of the biological markers that predict and drive neurodegenerative disease.

CCBP participants contribute:

  • Blood samples (serum, plasma, DNA, RNA)
  • Stool samples (microbiome analysis)
  • Neuroimaging data (brain MRI)
  • Neuropsychological test results
  • Annual health and lifestyle assessments

1,003+

CCBP participants enrolled as of September 2025

The CCBP enrollment rate is comparable to or exceeds that of other nationally designated Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers. This data repository is helping researchers identify early biomarkers of disease — years before symptoms appear.

Greater Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky 5 County Area Population Based Epidemiology of Stroke Study NIH NINDS (R01NS3078)

GCNKSS is a population-based stroke study occurring in 5 contiguous counties in Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky that abut the Ohio river. The study population size is 1.3 million people, and its composition is similar to the United States overall in terms of Black race, age, education, and income. The study has been ascertaining and characterizing stroke in this population since 1993 to 1994, approximately every 5 years.

Read more about the GCNKSS

The LIFE Brain Health Study

The L.I.F.E. Brain Health Study, is a longitudinal research study that will enroll community-dwelling young adults ages 18-34, who are residents of Ohio, northern/eastern Kentucky, and the western part of West Virginia. Using a purposive sampling strategy, we intend to enroll 40% or more of the total sample from rural and inner-city communities and our projected sample size is 10,000 to be recruited over 2.5 years. Participants in the LIFE Brain Health Study will be followed every 6 months with a phone call and every 2 years with in-person visits. We will collect sociodemographic information, family and personal health history, cognitive function using the NIH toolbox, mental health status including information on sleep, depression and anxiety, and information on lifestyle including diet, substance use, social media and gaming use, and accident or injury history. We will also measure blood pressure (monthly using Bluetooth enabled at home blood pressure cuff) as well as collect other data related to cardiovascular/cardio-metabolic risk factors and occupational and environmental exposures. We will perform structural MRI on ~3000 participants who will be selected based on BMI and/or blood pressure, thus ~1000 with normal BMI/BP and ~2000 who are either overweight/obese and/or have high blood pressure. The current plan is for a repeat MRI every 4 years. Additional imaging and questionnaires would be added depending on future research question(s).

Who We're Looking For

We welcome participants from all backgrounds. We are particularly committed to enrolling individuals from communities that have historically been underrepresented in research, including:

  • Black and African American communities
  • Rural and Appalachian communities
  • Individuals with a family history of Alzheimer's or dementia
  • People with hypertension, diabetes, or other vascular risk factors

Your participation matters - no matter your age, background, or health status. Science advances because people like you say yes.