You might think that with all the people living in this area scientists would easily find volunteers for research. But, in fact, research participants are in very short supply. The biggest reason for this is not enough people volunteer. It is also true that studies are often restrictive in terms of who they accept. However, other studies are less restrictive and many more people are eligible than volunteer.
People volunteer for studies for many reasons.
Sometimes they hope to gain from new medicines not available to the public. The most common reason we hear, however, is the desire to help. Patients realize that while the studies they take part in may not help them, the knowledge gained will help others. For many, making this sort of contribution to the fight against Alzheimer's disease is a reward in itself. All three institutions are funded as Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers of California.