![physician speaking with patients](https://mc-34647c8d-0ad3-4e6c-832a-7092-cdn.azureedge.net/-/media/centers/alzheimers/iadrc_visit.png?h=240&w=360&rev=0f352ea329f14c2a9d1e698459eb172f&hash=2C17D4AB7BA29CE7CDEE1880128546E1)
Visit the IADRC
![physician speaking with patients](https://mc-34647c8d-0ad3-4e6c-832a-7092-cdn.azureedge.net/-/media/centers/alzheimers/iadrc_visit.png?h=240&w=360&rev=0f352ea329f14c2a9d1e698459eb172f&hash=2C17D4AB7BA29CE7CDEE1880128546E1)
Visits vary in length but are usually between two and three hours for in-person visits. Also, number of visits per year varies depending on the study components the subject elects to participate in—usually between one and four visits per year. Some visits may be conducted over the phone.
In addition to a physical exam, the neurological examination checks eye movements, vision, hearing, muscle strength, reflexes and sensation. Participants will be asked questions about family history, medical history, medications and social history. Participants will also be prompted with questions for an assessment of cognition and memory.
Sensory testing researches how changes in sensory function (vision, smell and hearing) are associated with brain changes in aging, dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Functional MRI imaging will allow researchers to visualize which parts of the brain become active while the participant is performing memory, language or other activities in the MRI scanner. The participant will lay flat on a special platform which is part of the MRI scanner. The platform rolls into the machine which forms a dome around the participant to allow the machine to scan the participant’s brain.
The lumbar puncture visit is entirely outpatient and takes approximately one hour. The participant is asked to lay flat for 30 minutes after the procedure itself is done.
Testing takes approximately one to one-and-a-half hours and involves researchers asking questions to assess the participant’s memory and thinking.
There is no cost for participating in center studies.
While there may not be a direct benefit to participating in a study, the information collected during a visit may be beneficial to improving society's understanding of the causes and changes associated with aging and Alzheimer's disease. Individual study participants can receive annual examination and neurocognitive testing, connection to dementia and Alzheimer's disease clinic, and have the opportunity to potentially participate in additional research projects or drug trials.
For the first time, the United States is able to witness one of the first generations of publicly “out” LGBTQ+ elders. For decades, these individuals have experienced insurmountable stigma and hindrances in receiving fundamental rights. Many grew up before Stonewall or when it was still considered illegal to be gay. Some were activists in large cities as others lived quietly in small, rural towns; however, the amount of prejudice they all witnessed can still be felt rippling through time, not least of which when accessing care