Biomarkers of Cognitive Decline Among Normal Individuals (BIOCARD)
The BIOCARD Study began in 1995 at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), United States, with the aim to identify biomarkers among cognitively normal individuals that can predict cognitive impairment or dementia. The study initially recruited and assessed 349 cognitively normal middle-aged individuals between 1995 and 2005, most of whom by design had a first-degree relative with dementia. In 2005, the study was stopped but was later reinitiated at Johns Hopkins University in 2009. Since then, participants have been followed up annually with clinical and cognitive assessments, and bi-annually with MRI scans, cerebrospinal fluid, and blood specimen collection. Enrolment of additional participants began in 2020, with the sample now comprising 477 individuals (as of August 2025). Many participants who were initially enrolled at the NIH have been followed for over 30 years.
Study design
Cohort
Number of participants at first data collection
477 (participants as of 2025)
Recruitment is ongoing
Age at first data collection
Varied (participants)
Participant year of birth
Varied (participants)
Participant sex
All
Representative sample at baseline?
No
Sample features
Country
Year of first data collection
1995
Primary Institutions
Johns Hopkins University (JHU) (Academic, United States of America)
National Institutes of Health (NIH) (Government, United States of America)
Links
Profile paper DOI
Funders
National Institute on Aging (NIA) (Government, United States of America)
Ongoing?
Yes
Data types collected
- Computer, paper or task testing (e.g. cognitive testing, theory of mind doll task, attention computer tasks)
- Interview – face-to-face
- Physical or biological assessment (e.g. blood, saliva, gait, grip strength, anthropometry)
- None
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
- None
Engagement
Keywords
Consortia and dataset groups
