Participate

BEACoN researchers want to understand what places certain individuals at risk for Alzheimers disease and dementia over others. By participating in this study, you will help advance our ability to detect and understand age-related memory impairment.

Participants may be eligible if they:

  • Are adults ages 60 and above;
  • Are willing to come to the UC Irvine Campus and the UCI Health PET imaging facility in Costa Mesa for study visits (transportation can be provided);
  • Have a person to designate as awill study partner who know them well enough to answer questions about their memory ability;
  • Are good candidates for MRI and PET, and;
  • Are in good general health and have not been diagnosed with a memory condition.

Additional Details

This study is enrolling adults aged 60 and above who do not have a diagnosis of cognitive impairment. The purpose of the study is to understand the factors that underlie changes in thinking and memory with increasing age. We will test the usefulness of MRI, PET, and cognitive testing in detecting subtle changes in the brain that precede cognitive decline.

  • Number of visits: 3-4 per year of study
  • Compensation: $350 in cash per year of the study, up to $700 total. 
  • Contact: (949) 824-0904 or beacon@uci.edu.
  • UCI IRB Approved: HS# 2017-3832

Participants will also receive:

MRI CDs

All participants are given a CD that contains two types of MRI images that we acquire during the course of the study. These images are called T1 and T2-weighted MRI images. T1 images show good contrast between the structures in your brain, while T2 show additional contrast between grey and white matter, as well as your cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We give these to all participants, along with software that lets you view your scans on your personal computer.

MRI Radiologist Reports

We run MRI radiological reports on certain scans in the event of an “incidental finding.” An incidental finding is any clinically-significant abnormality that appears on an MRI image that we were not expecting to find. In these cases, Dr. Yassa reviews and forwards these scans to a neuroradiologist, who will generate a full clinical report meant to be given to a physician.

3D Printed Brain Model

3D printed model of your brain based on your MRI scan

Clinical Labs

Participants will receive a copy of their clinical labs from their bloodwork.

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