Aging, Alcoholism, and affect of the Brain - Research Project


SRI International (SRI) - Menlo Park - Stanford

Chuck Buntjer - Research Study

SRI International Headquarters

333 Ravenswood Avenue

Menlo Park

California

94025

Brain



Eden Gallanter, Saint Francis Wood - Overview of the Project

Email us at brainaddictionlab@sri.com

(650) 859-3914 at SRI International

The lab I work at, SRI International, is still looking for research subjects! This is a great way to contribute to important scientific studies. All subjects are compensated for their time!

Please take a moment to see if you qualify, and please feel free to message me privately if you want to know more about what participation in these studies is like. SRI International is conducting NIH-funded research studies to understand how conditions like Aging, Alcoholism, and affect of the brain.

We need volunteers who...

You will be compensated for your time. If interested, please call (650) 859-3914 at SRI International ANYTIME and leave your NAME and personal PHONE NUMBER on our private recorder.


Phone Interview by Ryan Goodcase - Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. - 2018.08.29

Email me at: Ryan.goodcase@sri.com

(650) 859-3527

I was called by Ryan from SRI who gave me a 20 minute overview of the research project and had me MRIanswer questions about my health and other situations that might affect my becoming a part of the research, such as being in an MRI for an hour and other related matters.

The project is about two days long and if completed, would be paid $200.00. There would be a follow up in about a year and a half and in another year and a half, the final testing.

An MRI and other tests will be conducted over the two day period!

If one has concerns they may call the Institute Review Board at 1.650.859.4022.



Ryan Goodcase - Appointments and Location of Tests

I am writing to remind you of your appointment with us on Monday, September 10th at 10am and Tuesday, Septermber 11th at 10am. We are located at 333 Ravenswood Avenue in Menlo Park. You can take 101 S to exit 406 Marsh Rd., turn left on Middlefield, and then right on Ravenswood Avenue.

You can also take Caltrain to the Menlo Park station, exit left from the train and the first major road you will come to is Ravenswood Avenue. Turn left on Ravenswood and continue on until you see the Visitor Lobby entrance of SRI International (building with large windows in the front and a drop-off loop). Once you've checked in, I will meet you in the lobby and take you to where we will be working.

I did find out by going to the Caltrain station, one can use the Clipper Card that we can use on the buses and ferry system and also our subway system, BART, in the City. No ticket to buy, just press on the panel and then again when getting off the train. It calculates your fare bases on your card information. The senior rate is half the regular fare!

If you have any questions about your SRI appointment, please call me at 650-859-3527, or reply to this email.



Chuck Buntjer - Research Study
SRI International (SRI) is an American nonprofit research institute headquartered in Menlo Park, California. The trustees of Stanford University established SRI in 1946 as a center of innovation to support economic development in the region. Chuck Buntjer - Research Study

SRI is an independent, nonprofit research center that works with clients to take the most advanced R&D from the laboratory to the marketplace. Serving government and industry, we collaborate across technical and scientific disciplines to generate real innovation and create high value for our clients.

We invent solutions that solve your most challenging problems today and look ahead to the needs of the future. For more than 70 years, we’ve led the discovery and design of ground-breaking products, technologies, and industries – from Siri and online banking to medical ultrasound, cancer treatments, and much more.

The organization was founded as the Stanford Research Institute. SRI formally separated from Stanford University in 1970 and became known as SRI International in 1977. SRI performs client-sponsored research and development for government agencies, commercial businesses, and private foundations. It also licenses its technologies, forms strategic partnerships, sells products, and creates spin-off companies. SRI's annual revenue in 2014 was approximately $540 million. SRI's headquarters are located near the Stanford University campus. William A. Jeffrey has served as SRI's president and CEO since September 2014.

SRI employs about 2,100 people. Sarnoff Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of SRI since 1988, was fully integrated into SRI in January 2011.

SRI's focus areas include biomedical sciences, chemistry and materials, computing, Earth and space systems, economic development, education and learning, energy and environmental technology, security and national defense, as well as sensing and devices. SRI has received more than 4,000 patents and patent applications worldwide.

The testing location is on the train line from San Francisco to San Jose at the Menlo Park station, Stanford.

My friend Rosemarie who works at SFMOMA told me to ask if I was being paid for the cost of transportation to Stanford. I thought about it, for this test and the one on Friday I would have to pay $45.00. I get $300.00 so why not ask? Ryan said he could check and I had the Clipper Card slip where I bought the tickets! He took it to accounting and came back with $45.00! The other $300.00 will be sent by check to my address! Thanks Rosemarie, for the advice and saving me $45.00!



Project Results

These are some of the activities I did while being tested. Check out the test I did while in the MRI for at least an hour and a half!

  • Vision Testing.
  • Balance Testing.
  • Blood draw - 12 vials.
  • Ability to feel pin pricks on hands and feet.
  • Strength of arms, legs and neck muscles.
  • Ability to recall a list of 20 words during the course of the testing.
  • Ability to recall lists of numbers read to you in groups from 2 to 7 numbers.
  • Ability to recall lists of numbers read to you in groups from 2 to 7 numbers - but repeated Backwards!
  • Read a list of words and tell what the words mean.
  • Tell how two words are the same - such as - War and Peace - Hate and Love.
  • Draw various line drawings from a book as close as possible to the original.
  • Draw the most difficult without looking at the original.
  • Review faces or eyes and decide the definition of the look such as mad, scared, jealous and so on.
  • Use colored blocks to create patterns that match an original picture.
  • Use a mouse to select a match or no match on a computer screen for the following: A square will appear for a second, then a word will appear for a second, select one of the keys if the color of the square and the color of the word matches. If the square is red, the word is red - one choses - Does Not Match. If the square is green word is blue - one choses - Does Match - because the items are both green!
  • Go to the MRI scanning room for a brain scan.

-------------------------------------------- MRI Testing --------------------------------------------

I put on scrubs and entered the MRI Testing room. I sat on the table and had a heart monitor put on my finger and an oxygen monitor put on my chest. I had a squeeze bulb to press in case I needed to stop the MRI test. I laid down and they put my head in the vise like padded holder and then strapped my head down so I couldn't move it. They also put a plastic mask over one's face to lock you in even more and a mirror is on the top of the mask. I was slowly pulled into the entire MRI tube and there I was asked if I could see the mirror above me. They said I was going to have a scan of the brain for five miutes. Then they were going to run the same test I had taken before entering the room. This test would run for about five minutes also. The MRI would take pictures of my brain and how it fired the neurons as I completed the following task. Use a mouse to select a match or no match on a computer screen for the following: A square will appear for a second, then a word will appear for a second, select one of the keys if the color of the square and the color of the word matches. If the square is red, the word is red - one choses - Does Not Match. If the square is green word is blue - one choses - Does Match - because the items are both green!

After the Matching Test I was told I had to stay still and they would run a 10 minute scan with my eyes open all the time, no sleeping.

Then they ran a scan for about 45 minutes or so and I could close my eyes and sleep if possible. I have had multiple tests in an MRI and this one was probably the loudest I have ever heard. It is a GE Imaging MRI.

I never moved the entire time so the scan was a success. I had a horrible cramp in my left leg in the middle of the scan but I was not going to move and ruin the scan because then I would have to take it again!

And to finalize the testing, we went back to the office and I proceeded to do the same test on the laptop again, match the color of the square with the color of the word!

And I qualified for the $200.00 fee for doing the testing! They want me back in a year and a half for another set of testing!

< blockquote>



The Payment for three days of testing at SRI International and Stanford Neurological Division

The Payoff!



Created on: 2018.08.29
Return to Chuck Buntjer's Home Page
Updated on: 2018.09.23