There’s a lot we don’t know about the brain, but what we do know is that neurological disorders have a huge effect on families and communities. Many people face daily challenges—like loss of independence and function—from disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and seizures.
Clinical research is important because it can help doctors and researchers learn more about the brain, nervous system, and neurological disorders. It’s where cutting-edge treatments reach people for the first time.
Clinical research is a team effort
Clinical research includes clinical trials, which test a specific drug or medicine. It also includes clinical studies, which are focused on learning about people’s behavior and how a disease or condition develops. In clinical trials and studies with human participants, researchers:
- Test diagnostics, which are ways to find and track changes in the brain and body
- Observe how people with and without neurological conditions respond to interventions designed to promote health
- Learn about how conditions and treatments affect different groups of people
Get a detailed look at clinical trials steps.
NINDS conducts and supports many of these trials and studies, with the goal of finding better ways to safely detect, treat, or prevent diseases of the brain and nervous system. Clinical research is most effective when different kinds of people sign up to participate.
All types of participants are needed—those who are healthy or may have an illness or disease—of all different ages, sexes, races, and ethnicities. This helps make sure that research results apply to as many people as possible, and that treatments will be safe and effective for everyone who will use them.
You can help by participating in research
Each clinical trial or study helps researchers get closer to a potential life-changing discovery, but they can’t conduct clinical research without participants like you. You can join other participants in helping move science forward—unlocking potential benefits for yourself, our society, and future generations.
Clinical trials and studies have many safety measures in place to protect your health and privacy. They are free to participate in, and some may provide transportation or reimburse you for your time. You can get medical care from experts in the field—and may get access to new treatments, depending on the trial or study.
Talk with your doctor about participating in clinical research and which trials or studies are right for you. You can also search for active ones using ClinicalTrials.gov.
Your participation can lead to real-world benefits
Clinical research has the potential to relieve suffering and improve quality of life. For example, migraine is a challenging condition that can cause severe pain and disrupt daily life. But thanks to evidence from clinical trials, people who experience migraine are now able to access a type of medicine that targets calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). This type of medicine is effective in relieving migraine pain.
Learn about clinical research safety
There are many protections in place to help keep you safe when you participate in clinical research. Watch the following video to hear how participants felt while participating:
Explore the steps of a typical trial
Clinical trials usually follow a standard flow. While each trial has its own procedures, they usually include five main steps. Explore the steps in this interactive infographic or download the pdf(pdf, 11655 KB).