Healthy Volunteer Recruitment and Characterization for NINDS Studies

Background: The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) often enrolls healthy volunteers in certain studies. These studies allow researchers to look for causes of diseases and disorders by comparing affected people to healthy ones. Prescreening lets volunteers participate in multiple studies without having to repeat the screening tests each time. Having a registry of prescreened volunteers also makes it easier for researchers to reach people willing to participate in their studies. Objective: To create a registry of healthy volunteers who have been prescreened for NINDS research studies. Eligibility: Healthy people aged 18 years and older. Design: Participants will have 1 clinic visit for prescreening. This visit will take about 5 hours. The visit may be spread across 1 to 3 days. Participants will have the following procedures: A physical exam, including height, weight, and vital signs. A review of their medical history and medications. They will also provide personal data such as age, sex, and years of education. An exam of their nervous system. This will include tests of their strength and reflexes, following an object with their eyes, and other tasks. Cognitive tests. These tests will check their memory, attention, and thinking. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. They will lie on a table that slides into a cylinder; Magnetic fields will create images of their brain. Handedness. They will complete a questionnaire about what hand they use for most tasks. Participants may remain on the healthy volunteers list for 2 years. If they wish to participate longer, they will need to return to repeat all of the screening tests.