There are a handful of academic medical centers in the United States and abroad that conduct research about the autonomic nervous system. Patients volunteer or are recruited to participate in research. Once you have been recruited for study participation, you and the research coordinator will select a mutually agreeable date for your screening visit.

The screening could be separate from actual study participation, or it could be the initial part of the whole research experience. Every detail of the study should be outlined for you in the Informed Consent document.

The Informed Consent document is generally available in advance and should be written in language you can understand. However, the coordinator is usually happy to outline in general terms how participation works and answer any questions. It is helpful to understand the primary focus of a research study before agreeing to be a research participant.

The role of research is not to answer all the questions you have about your specific case. However, the researcher and the study results may help you and your doctor gain more knowledge about your condition.