Alzheimer's biomarker and diversity initiative (ADNI4)

Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI4)

NIH-funded research Northern California Institute/res/edu · NIH-11386118

This project collects brain scans, blood, spinal fluid, genetics, and memory tests from people with and without memory problems to improve tests that detect and track Alzheimer's and include more diverse participants.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionNorthern California Institute/res/edu NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (San Francisco, United States)
Project IDNIH-11386118 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you join, you'll be asked to come for imaging visits, blood draws, and cognitive testing and some participants may provide cerebrospinal fluid or genetic samples. The team will follow roughly 500 returning participants from ADNI3 and recruit new volunteers with an emphasis on underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. Collected digital data, biospecimens, and imaging will be stored and shared with researchers to link biomarkers to brain changes and memory decline. The program focuses especially on developing blood (plasma) markers and making the data more generalizable for future clinical trials.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates include people with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, or early Alzheimer-type dementia, and individuals from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, including previous ADNI participants.

Not a fit: People who cannot travel to participating clinic sites, decline repeated scans or sample collection, or have medical issues preventing safe participation may not receive direct benefits from joining.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Success could lead to earlier, more reliable tests and better-designed trials that speed development of treatments for more people with Alzheimer's.

How similar studies have performed: Earlier ADNI phases have produced widely used data and directly informed trial designs, including those for aducanumab, so this builds on a successful, well-established program.

Where this research is happening

San Francisco, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Alzheimer disease dementiaAlzheimer disease prevention
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.