On Sept. 15, 2008, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) launched the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN) to study a rare form of inherited Alzheimer’s disease by creating a registry of asymptomatic and symptomatic mutation carriers and their non-carrier siblings.

This study will identify the biological changes that occur in the development of Alzheimer’s disease to improve early diagnosis and to track progression of the disease. Researchers will collect biological information from adults who have parents a known inheritable, genetic mutation for Alzheimer’s disease, specifically mutations in presenilin 1 (PSEN1), presenilin 2 (PSEN2), and amyloid precursor protein (APP) genes. 

All results will be stored in the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Network (DIAN) Central Archive, an international database that allows qualified researchers to access and analyze the information. All information will be anonymized to ensure the privacy of the participants. The study planned to enroll 700 participants at clinical trial sites in seven U.S. states and will end in July, 2025.