CLEVELAND — One in six people around the world has a neurological disease like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s Disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke or epilepsy. 

Dr. Imad Najm of the Cleveland Clinic said he sees it all too often. 

“We see how tough it is on the individual and how difficult it is on their families to deal with a loved one,” Najm said. “Seeing the person alive, but is almost like a different person.” 

It is challenging for medical professionals to predict who will become sick with one of these diseases. 

“Why do some people develop neurological disorders and others do not? Another question: are family members at risk of inheriting a neurological disorder? And the most important question of all, why can’t we prevent neurological disorders?” Najm asked.

These questions are why the Cleveland Clinic has launched a landmark multi-year study hoping to understand why millions suffer from brain diseases. 

“It is a long-term, longitudinal study that may last 10, 15, 20 years or more,” he explained. “We aim in the first phase of the study to enroll 10,000 volunteers who are 50 years and older, and 20 years and older for those individuals who have a family member with the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.” 

Their goal is to pinpoint disease biomarkers early, before clinical symptoms present themselves. 

“We are trying to understand the events that happen in the brain and in the body during this silent phase that proceeds the occurrence of a neurological problem,” he said.

He said the hope is that by learning more about why neurological disorders occur, they will better treat them. 

“Our main goal is to cure neurological disorders and even better, prevent a neurological problem from happening before it does,” he said.

For more information about how you can take part in this study, click here. ​