Research & Clinical Trials
In observational studies, researchers study specific areas or topics related to a particular disease or symptom without giving medication. Clinical trials are designed to study the safety and effectiveness of new treatments.

How to Participate in Research

Your participation in clinical trials helps us evaluate new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia spectrum disorders and Huntington’s disease. If one of our clinical trials looks interesting to you, please talk with your doctor or contact the study team to see if it is appropriate for you.

VOLUNTEER FOR A CLINICAL TRIAL

Your participation in supportive care trials helps us evaluate interventions designed to improve the health, care or quality of life for people typically without using drugs or devices. If one of our supportive care trials looks interesting to you, please talk with your doctor or contact the study team to see if it is appropriate for you.

Volunteer for a Supportive Care Trial

Your participation in observational research studies help us to improve the understanding and diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases leading to dementia. If one of our research studies looks interesting to you, please talk with your doctor or contact the study team to see if it is appropriate for you.

Volunteer for An Observational Research Study

The UCSF Memory and Aging Center provides a brain donation service for patients registered and seen at UCSF. An autopsy can be invaluable to both families and researchers by confirming a neurodegenerative disease diagnosis.

If you are looking for insurance-based clinical care, please see the Clinical Services section for information on how to get a referral and appointment.

Resources for Investigators

As an academic institution and an NIH-funded Alzheimer’s Disease Center, the UCSF Memory and Aging Center looks for opportunities to share our resources with investigators of the highest caliber.

  • The Neurodegenerative Disease Brain Bank (NDBB) serves as a repository for nervous system tissue donated for research purposes.
  • The Dementia Care Pathway is a suite of tools and educational materials specifically designed to improve the ability of non-specialists to more effectively diagnose and treat dementia in their patients.
  • The Care Ecosystem is a model of dementia care designed to provide personalized, cost-efficient care for persons with dementia and their caregivers. The downloadable toolkit is a guide to enable health systems and clinics to provide dementia-capable care to the growing population affected by dementia and their caregivers.
  • TabCAT and EXAMINER are computer- and tablet-based cognitive tests designed for use in clinical research studies.