Below are descriptions of the different research programs from which you can request data or specimens. Please read the descriptions of the various programs and then select the appropriate research group from the names listed at the bottom of the page.
Goizueta ADRC and CND Biospecimen Bank (ADRC and CND)
The ADRC, Center for Neurodegenerative Disease (CND), and the Emory Department of Neurology work together to maintain a large and rapidly expanding Biospecimen Repository. The majority of specimens are from Emory Cognitive Neurology patients who consented to research use of their specimens. These patients have diagnoses of various memory and movement disorders, including Probable Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD), as well as diagnoses of Stroke, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). Additional specimens are contributed by study participants from various studies and include community members with the aforementioned disorders, family members of participants with these disorders, and control participants.
Sample types available include DNA, buffy coat, plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, and a limited amount of serum. Brain tissue is also available from well-characterized patients with dementia, movement disorders, sleep disorders, stroke, neuromuscular disorders and other nervous system diseases as well as healthy control subjects.
BSHARP
The Brain, Stress, Hypertension and Aging Research Program (BSHARP) database was established in 2015 and retains extensive clinical information as well as demographics, medical and family history, and various neuropsychological measures from study subjects recruited in the BSHARP cohort. There are over 2,000 variables in our database, not all of which are available for each subject and/or study visit. To facilitate data use for research, we have put together a Summary Database which contains about 150 of the most commonly requested variables. A data dictionary describing the variables in the Summary Database is available on the data request survey form. For each study, there will be a table displaying the data collected at each timepoint for you to determine the most appropriate variables for your specific request. The database includes data for completed and ongoing clinical and observational research studies.
CEP
The vision of the Cognitive Empowerment Program (CEP) is to revolutionize the experience of people affected by Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) by creating a comprehensive approach that can be replicated nationally and internationally, with the overall aim of speeding up development, testing and dissemination of evidence-based interventions for MCI. The CEP represents a collaboration between Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology and includes therapeutics, technology, innovation accelerator, and built environment cores. The database was established in 2019 and retains extensive clinical information as well as demographics, medical and family history, and measures of cognition, emotion, functional status, and physical performance for the CEP members. Selected measures such as mood and caregiver stress/burden are collected for their care partners.
The Emory Healthy Aging Study (EHAS) is a longitudinal, online study focused on better understanding factors that contribute to healthy aging and identify markers that can predict common age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Emory Healthy Aging Study participants complete surveys and health history questionnaires annually, including demographics, general health, activities, habits, cognitive function assessment, Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), medical history (including medications), and family history.
The Emory Healthy Brain Study (EHBS) is a sub-study of the Emory Healthy Aging Study. To join the Emory Healthy Brain Study, participants must first join the Emory Healthy Aging Study. Participants are recruited through an evaluation of their health history questionnaire and are between the ages of 50-75 at enrollment. Participants are asked to complete an in-clinic visit every two years and complete a series of assessments and biospecimen collections. Participants consent, update their health history questionnaire, PHQ-8, GAD-7, ASA24 24-hour Food Recall Assessment, anthropomorphic measures, biospecimens (microbiome, blood, and CSF), cardiovascular assessments, cognitive testing, eye tracking (VisMET), gait analysis, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy.