About

The ADNI data set is very large and heterogenous. It is every bit as messy and complicated as it is scientifically valuable.

Before we discuss the data set, it is important to cover some essential background information on the study.

The Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

ADNI is a study on voluntary, consented human participants - specifically older adults between the ages of 55 and 90. This represents the segment of the population who are most at-risk for AD. It is a multi-site, longitudinal, observational study. What exactly does that mean?

• Longitudinal - Participants are seen multiple times, and observations are collected repeatedly across multiple follow-up appointments.

• Multi-Site - ADNI has operated at over 60 clinical sites across the USA and Canada, with data collection procedures standardized across sites.

• Observational - Participants are assigned into cohorts based on clinical diagnosis, and observations are recorded without any randomization, intervention, or manipulation of participants.
  
  There are no treatments introduced by ADNI. All participants continue to take their prescribed medications and complete medical procedures as prescribed by their doctors.