Research

Volunteers who participate in Penn FTD Center research studies assist the Center in advancing the science of frontotemporal degenerative diseases and help us provide the highest quality of care for our clinical patients.  Participants are compensated for their time. 

You can view information about our clinical trials and observational studies here:

OBSERVATIONAL RESEARCH

CLINICAL TRIALS

We are currently recruiting healthy participants for research studies:

CONTROL STUDIES FOR NEURODEGENERATIVE PATIENTS   

This study examines healthy adults’ brain functioning to help us understand the cognitive and neural basis for memory, language and behavior.  This will lead the Penn FTD Center to new avenues of research that will improve diagnostic accuracy and help develop treatments for individuals with neurogenerative diseases, such as Frontotemporal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

WHAT WILL PARTICIPANTS BE ASKED TO DO?

Participants will be asked to participate in cognitive/neuropsychological testing which involves answering questions about words, pictures and sentences presented on a computer screen and may involve completing paper-and-pencil testing. Participants will be asked to participate in neuroimaging which involves completing one or two MRI scans that each can take approximately 40 to 60 minutes. You will lie still during the scan and may be asked to respond to questions about pictures or words while in the scanner. Finally, participants may be asked to give a sample of blood.  No more than two tablespoons of blood will be drawn.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Individuals between 18 and 85 years old who:

  •  Are right-handed and completed at least a high school education
  •  Are free of metal implants in their body
  •  Are native English speakers
  •  Have no pre-existing neurological conditions like stroke, seizure or head trauma
  •  Have no pre-existing psychiatric conditions like depression,schizophrenia or anxiety
  •  Do not currently use psychoactive medications or other substances