Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are major neurocognitive disorders that are marked by memory impairment and a decline in executive functioning. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include: memory loss, bad decision making, loss of spontaneity, repetitive questioning, losing things or getting lost, mood and personality changes, increased anxiety or aggression, confusion, inability to learn new things, aphasia (reading, speaking, or writing disorder), apraxia (motor disorder), shortened attention span, agnosia (problems recognizing family and friends, objects, sounds, or smells), impulsivity, hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia.
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia can be severely disabling and are chronic diseases in which one’s health gradually deteriorates over time. If you think that you or someone you care for has Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, contact your medical provider. If you have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, and would like to join a research study please fill out our contact form below. We have several studies that are aimed at treating diseases with new drugs, new combinations of drugs or new ways to use existing treatments. Your participation in a voluntary research study is needed and appreciated. With your help, together we can make a difference!
Bipolar and related disorders can be difficult to differentiate from schizophrenia and major depression both symptomatically and genetically. Bipolar is a complex genetic disorder associated with extreme highs (mania) and lows (depression). Along with mood changes, symptoms may also include unusual sleep patterns including Insomnia (difficulty falling and/or staying asleep), and hypersomnia (sleepiness during the day). It can be difficult to differentiate bipolar disorder from schizophrenia and major depression both symptomatically and genetically. Bipolar disorder differs from schizophrenia in that typically it’s an episodic illness that can occur, be treated and then return at a later date.
Symptoms of bipolar disorder can affect one’s work, school, interpersonal relations, and self-care. If you think that you or someone you care for has bipolar disorder, contact your medical provider. If you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and would like to join a bipolar research study please fill out our contact form below. We have several studies that are aimed at treating diseases with new drugs, new combinations of drugs or new ways to use existing treatments. Your participation in a voluntary research study is needed and appreciated. With your help, together, we can make a difference!
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a disease of intense emotions and mood instability that affects one’s interpersonal relationships, behavior and self-image. Marked by extreme mood swings, difficulty regulating emotions, impulsive behavior, and fear of abandonment, people with BPD can experience acute episodes of anger, depression and anxiety often viewing themselves and others with extreme love one day switching to hate the next. Symptoms of borderline personality disorder include an intense fear of abandonment, unstable interpersonal relationships, poor self-image, self-destructive impulsivity, recurrent suicidal or self-mutilating behavior, extreme mood variability, chronic emptiness, inappropriate intense anger, difficulty controlling temper, stress related paranoia and dissociation (out of body feelings) that can lead to brief psychotic episodes.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) usually begins in early adulthood and can improve with treatment. Causes of BPD are not fully known, but genetics, traumatic life events, brain structure and function, cultural and social factors are thought to be risk factors. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and would like to join a research study please fill out our contact form below. We have several studies that are aimed at treating diseases with new drugs, new combinations of drugs or new ways to use existing treatments. Your participation in a voluntary research study is needed and appreciated. With your help, together we can make a difference!
Depression, also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a common and serious mood disorder. Those who suffer from depression experience persistent feelings of overwhelming sadness and hopelessness and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. Psychological symptoms may include depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, slowing down of thoughts and movement, indecisiveness, inability to concentrate, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, anxiety, and recurrent thoughts of death and suicide. Aside from the emotional problems caused by depression, individuals can also experience physical symptoms such as chronic pain, weight fluctuations, fatigue and digestive issues.
Depression can impair social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. If you think that you or someone you care for has major depressive disorder, contact your medical provider. If you have been diagnosed with depression, and would like to join a depression research study please fill out our contact form below. We have several studies that are aimed at treating diseases with new drugs, new combinations of drugs or new ways to use existing treatments. Your participation in a voluntary research study is needed and appreciated. With your help, together, we can make a difference!
Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder characterized by disturbances in thought, perception, and behavior. The cause of schizophrenia is unknown, but it is thought to be caused by genetics, the environment, and altered brain chemistry or structure. Symptoms of schizophrenia may include: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, psychosis, disorganized or catatonic behavior, paranoia, flat or inappropriate emotional response, alogia (poverty of speech), hearing voices, avolition (lack of motivation), movement disorders (such as impaired coordination).
Symptoms for schizophrenia disorder can be severely disabling and can affect one’s work, school, interpersonal relations, and self-care. If you think that you or someone you care for has schizophrenia, contact your medical provider. If you have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and would like to join a research study please fill out our contact form below. We have several studies that are aimed at treating diseases with new drugs, new combinations of drugs or new ways to use existing treatments. Your participation in a voluntary research study is needed and appreciated. With your help, together, we can make a difference!
Postpartum depression is a more severe and longer lasting form of the “baby blues” that many mothers face after having children. Postpartum depression can develop in any mother and may begin as early as during pregnancy and as late as up to a year after giving birth. Symptoms include: depressed mood or severe mood swings, anxiety, difficulty sleeping or excessive sleeping, excessive crying, feeling numb or disconnected from your baby, withdrawing from loved ones, changes in appetite, overwhelming fatigue, reduced interest in activities, intense irritability and anger, hopelessness, feelings of shame and guilt, brain fog, restlessness, severe anxiety and panic attacks, thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.. If untreated, postpartum depression may last for many months.
Postpartum psychosis is a rare and serious condition that can develop within the first week after delivery in which the signs and symptoms include: confusion, disorientation, obsessive thoughts about your baby, hallucinations and delusions, excessive energy and agitation, paranoia, and attempts to harm yourself or your baby. Postpartum psychosis requires immediate treatment. If you or someone you love has symptoms of postpartum psychosis or has thoughts of harming themselves or their baby, seek immediate assistance. If you or someone you love is experiencing postpartum depression and would like to join a research study please fill out our contact form below.
Clinical trials (also called clinical studies or clinical research) are paramount to new drug and treatment development. Clinical trials are research studies that test whether a new drug, treatment or device is safe and effective as treatment for a specific illness or group of people. Clinical trials can also test whether a known drug or treatment is safe and effective for new uses. Within a clinical trial, scientists are looking for critical information about the investigational drug, or device such as “Is it effective?” “Is it more effective than another established treatment?.” Clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments to improve patient care and advance medical knowledge.
Development of a new drug or treatment may take 10 + years. Clinical trials are the final stage of development for a new drug or treatment. First researchers start with an idea and develop and test it in a laboratory. Later, testing may involve animals. If the treatment has favorable results, clinical trials can begin. Clinical trials occur in multiple phases. Each phase has it’s own purpose, and with each phase, knowledge of the drug or therapy grows.
Before beginning a clinical trial, the research team will provide detailed information you need to make an informed choice as to whether or not you agree to participate in the clinical trial. This process is called: Informed Consent. During the Informed Consent process you are informed of the known risks and benefits of the research study as well as details about the study. These details are found in a trial’s protocol, (or master plan). The protocol is a carefully prepared document describing the clinical trial’s purpose, length, and procedures involved. A protocol would answer trial questions such as: How many participants will be studied?, Who is eligible to participate?, What tests will be preformed?, and how often will they be preformed?, What data will be collected?, etc. During clinical trials, scientists and doctors follow strict guidelines to protect patients and to create reliable results. While volunteering in a clinical trial, you may get more tests and exams than usual to because doctors, nurses, social workers and other health care providers will be monitoring your health closely according to the plan’s protocol.
Researchers are doctors, nurses and trained research professionals who care first about a patient’s safety and well being. Clinical trial patients receive high quality care and careful medical attention. Many safety measurements are put into place during a clinical trial to protect patients, such as careful study design and Institutional Review Board (IRB) oversight. Researchers work within a strict regulatory and ethical framework provided by the FDA and ethics review boards who monitor each research trial to protect the rights and welfare of participants. Each trial follows a protocol which is approved by the IRB and each participant goes through the informed consent process before joining a clinical trial and through out the study if protocols change. Participation in a clinical trial is at no cost to the participant and may involve payment depending on the study. You can withdraw from a clinical trial at any time and for any reason.
Anyone can participate in a clinical trial. Some trials need healthy participants, other trials need patients with a particular disease or condition. Each trial has different eligibility criteria that defines who is eligible to participate in the particular study. Examples of eligibility criteria include: age, gender, stage or type of disease, medical history, and current medical conditions.
Plan ahead any questions that you may have. Write them down and bring them to the first meeting. Consider bringing a family member, friend or recording device to help you take notes. Depending on the clinical trial, your insurance may cover your treatment. You may want to talk to your insurance company or primary care provider prior to meeting with the research team.
Clinical trials are often under-enrolled and certain populations are often under-represented. Your participation in a voluntary research study is needed and appreciated. With your help, together, we can make a difference! Together we can move science forward and discover necessary breakthroughs to cure disease. Join a larger community while taking an active role in your own healthcare. While in a research study, you may receive better care and more attention from a dedicated research staff while receiving cutting-edge treatments. Your participation helps to develop new treatments that improve and advance medical care for future generations.
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