R01AG072603

Cerebral Hemodynamic Impairment in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Alzheimer's Disease - Abstract

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is rapidly becoming an overwhelming economic and social burden. It is estimated that 13.8 million Americans will have AD in 2050, and the total annual payments for health, long-term, and hospice care for AD and other dementias will increase to $1.2 trillion in 2050.

Despite the important role of cerebrovascular function in AD, studies on cerebrovascular impairment in the asymptomatic phase of AD are lacking. The proposed project directly addresses this important scientific area by using advanced MR imaging techniques to study biomarkers of cerebrovascular function in AD subjects both before and after the manifestation of clinical symptoms.

The overarching goal of the proposed project is to study whether AD pathology directly interacts with cerebrovascular pathology in the early phases of the AD continuum, as well as the relative contributions of cerebrovascular and AD pathologies to cognitive impairments in early AD.

(1) We will use an advanced MR technique for measuring cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) as a biomarker of vascular function and study CVR in 264 subjects composed of four groups including healthy young and middle-aged subjects (HY), cognitive normal elderly without AD pathology (CN-), asymptomatic AD subjects who are cognitively normal with positive AD pathology (AAD), and prodromal AD patients who are symptomatic with mild cognitive impairment and have positive AD pathology (PAD). Longitudinal changes in CVR over two years in CN-, AAD, and PAD subjects will also be studied.

(2) We will also study differences in the white matter hyperintensity volume and advanced diffusion metrics between the CN-, AAD, and PAD groups, their longitudinal changes, and relationship with CVR.

(3) The relative contributions of AD and vascular pathologies to cognitive performance will also be evaluated.

The successful execution of the study will provide a better understanding of the interactions between AD pathology and cerebrovascular dysfunction in the early phases of the AD continuum that could eventually lead to the development of effective multi-component therapeutic interventions of AD that target both AD and vascular pathologies.

Emory 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]

Georgia United States

State-Wide

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 276% from $857,527 to $3,221,061.