Alzheimer's Disease Research Center

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Washington University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) initiates, fosters, and supports the performance of innovative, cutting-edge research on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related topics with regard to the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. We provide well- characterized research participants (persons with symptomatic AD and age-matched controls), their clinical, psychometric, and imaging data, and their tissue (blood, DNA, CSF, autopsy material) to research projects. We also provide intellectual and financial support to scientists at Washington University, at other Alzheimer's Centers, and the research community nationally and internationally and engage in formal and informal collaborations, including multi-disciplinary/multi-Center studies and the initiatives sponsored by the National Institute on Aging, the National Alzheimer Coordinating Center, and the National Cell Repository for Alzheimer's Disease. Historically, our Center has focused on the earliest stages of dementia to identify the initial clinical and pathologic changes that distinguish AD from normal aging. Our approach is balanced between clinical and basic science domains with emphasis on interdisciplinary efforts. We will continue our training of students, fellows and junior faculty in clinical and basic science research skills. We will continue to engage in outreach activities to transfer information on AD to lay and professional audiences. We are committed to underserved populations that are the focus of our African American and Rural Cores and will continue activities that promote the inclusion of these populations in research. This competing renewal application includes eight cores: A: Administration, B: Clinical, C: Data Management and Statistics, D: Neuropathology, E: Education, F: African American Outreach, G: Genetics, and H: Rural Outreach. The ADRC resources contained in these Cores will promote and advance AD-related research as represented by the three projects in this application: Project 1: Correlation of Tau PET Imaging with CSF AD Biomarkers, Co-Project Leaders: A Fagan/J McConathy Project 2: Synergy of A? clearance mechanisms in vivo, Project Leader: J Cirrito Project 3: Circadian rhythms in regulation of A? pathology and brain oxidative stress, Project Leader: E Musiek