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New IDEAS Study

New IDEAS Study
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The New IDEAS Study is no longer recruiting participants as of March 1, 2024. If you are currently enrolled in the study, please visit the New IDEAS Study website for more information. 

If you are interested in learning more about participating in other Alzheimer's and memory loss studies, you can use TrialMatch to find the latest opportunities.

About the study

New IDEAS (Imaging Dementia—Evidence For Amyloid Scanning) is a research study looking for better ways to diagnose and care for people with memory concerns by using medical brain imaging. This is a nationwide study for people from diverse backgrounds who are experiencing changes in their memory, including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.

Diversity in clinical trials is vital, and the New IDEAS study seeks to ensure that its results represent all racial and ethnic groups. New Alzheimer's treatments must be safe and effective for everybody, regardless of race, ethnicity, age or gender. The study prioritized the inclusion of Black/African American and Hispanic/Latinx populations, which are disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer’s and other dementia. 

New IDEAS is a study from the Alzheimer's Association and the American College of Radiology. The research study will use positron emission tomography (PET) scans, a type of medical brain imaging, to look at the buildup of amyloid plaques in the brain, which can block signals in the brain. The New IDEAS Study team is committed to sharing the data from this study with the scientific community — and study participants — to advance science and demonstrate the value of inclusive research.

Find current clinical trials

You can still participate in clinical trials to help advance Alzheimer's and dementia research. Use the free Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch® to find clinical studies near you.

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New IDEAS study FAQs

Why is the New IDEAS study being conducted?

New IDEAS examines how PET amyloid scanning, a kind of brain scan, can help physicians diagnose and treat Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. It will also examine biomarkers, which are changes that a disease might cause in the body that doctors can measure with tests like blood tests. Identifying biomarkers can help to diagnose or treat the disease.
 

Why is this clinical study important?

This study is important because it studies dementia and Alzheimer's in a very diverse population and helps researchers understand how PET scans and biomarkers can be used to diagnose and treat Alzheimer's disease. New IDEAS represents one of the largest datasets of its kind and is an important milestone in Alzheimer's research.


Why take part in clinical research?

Clinical research helps others, especially those who are your same age, race or ethnicity, and it may help you directly. 
 

What is a PET amyloid scan?

A PET scan — short for positron emission tomography — is an imaging technique that helps medical professionals visualize organs, including the brain, to detect and measure changes in the body. The amyloid-PET imaging technique can be used to detect amyloid buildup in the brain. The accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain is a biomarker and one of the hallmark brain changes of Alzheimer's disease. 

An amyloid PET scan is usually conducted at a hospital, major research center or a business that does imaging tests, and usually takes 1–2 hours to complete. Learn more about how an amyloid PET scan works and what to expect.

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