R01AG058066

Protective Genetic Variants for Alzheimer Disease in the Amish - Renewal

Alzheimer Disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of individuals in the U.S. It has so far resisted attempts to develop effective therapies despite numerous (failed) clinical trials based on known targets, most identified over 20 years ago.

While genomic research (e.g. the Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project; ADSP) has identified numerous additional risk loci, these results derive primarily from case-control datasets. In contrast, cohorts designed to identify variants that may protect from AD, and those using complementary study designs, are few.

We used our extensive experience with the Amish communities in Indiana and Ohio to establish a cohort of older individuals at high risk of developing AD but who are cognitively unimpaired (CU). The Amish provide a unique opportunity to identify protective variants for AD because of their reduced background genetic variation and environmental risk factors. Their small founding population and endogamy provide enrichment for rare variants. Founder populations also enable testing for non-additive allelic effects and can magnify sub-significant association signals identified in case-control studies. The stability and engagement of our Amish participants enable longitudinal assessments of cognition and biomarkers.

Our primary goals are to identify AD protective loci and characterize pre-clinical biomarkers of progression to cognitive impairment. Building on our existing large cohort, our replicated protective locus and several suggestive protective loci, and our existing biobank of DNA and plasma and databank of GWAS and WGS, we propose to:

1) Perform longitudinal assessment of cognition in our family-based Amish cohort;
2) Identify protective factors for AD and predictors of progression to cognitive impairment by analyzing genomic and longitudinal cognitive, biomarker, and SDOH data; and
3) Examine the functional implications of current and novel genes and variants by prioritizing loci using in silico annotation for functional consequences followed by in vitro functional characterization.

Our results will identify potential druggable targets and accelerate the development of better treatments for AD.

Case Western Reserve University

TO ENCOURAGE BIOMEDICAL, SOCIAL, AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING DIRECTED TOWARD GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE AGING PROCESS AND THE DISEASES, SPECIAL PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS OF PEOPLE AS THEY AGE. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING HAS ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS TO PURSUE THESE GOALS. THE DIVISION OF AGING BIOLOGY EMPHASIZES UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF AGING. THE DIVISION OF GERIATRICS AND CLINICAL GERONTOLOGY SUPPORTS RESEARCH TO IMPROVE THE ABILITIES OF HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS TO RESPOND TO THE DISEASES AND OTHER CLINICAL PROBLEMS OF OLDER PEOPLE. THE DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH SUPPORTS RESEARCH THAT WILL LEAD TO GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT BOTH THE PROCESS OF GROWING OLD AND THE PLACE OF OLDER PEOPLE IN SOCIETY. THE DIVISION OF NEUROSCIENCE FOSTERS RESEARCH CONCERNED WITH THE AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE RELATED SENSORY, PERCEPTUAL, AND COGNITIVE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH AGING AND HAS A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM: TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE SBIR PROGRAM, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM: TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.

93.866 - Aging Research

National Institute on Aging (NIA) [HHS - NIH]

Cleveland, Ohio 44106 United States

Single Zip Code

Research on Current Topics in Alzheimer's Disease and Its Related Dementias (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) (PAR-19-070)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 298% from $1,604,416 to $6,389,146.