Neuroimaging Core

PROJECT DESCRIPTION/ABSTRACT – NEUROIMAGING CORE The primary goal of the Neuroimaging Core is to provide imaging biomarker data for diagnostic classification and staging of AD and other dementias, for research projects and clinical trials on ADRC participants, through a harmonized multimodality neuroimaging program at the Mayo Clinic Rochester (MCR) and Mayo Clinic Florida (MCF) sites. A cohort of African American participants from the MCF will be recruited in order to enhance the racial diversity of the multimodality neuroimaging program in the ADRC. The aims of the Neuroimaging Core include: 1) Establishing and maintaining a harmonized MRI, β-amyloid, tau, and FDG PET and DaTScan SPECT imaging program for the Mayo Clinic ADRC, and operating a standardized quality control, image processing and data analysis program for the ADRC cohorts including the African American Cohort in MCF; 2) Support imaging studies and supply imaging biomarker data to the research projects and clinical trials, and the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC), while protecting patient confidentiality when sharing high-resolution images; 3) Educating the research community, training, supporting, and enhancing the careers of the next generation of investigators in the aging and dementia neuroimaging biomarkers field. Neuroimaging Core will collaborate with the Clinical Core and the Outreach and Education Core on recruitment of clinically characterized African American participants to imaging studies, with the Neuropathology Core on autopsy confirmation of imaging findings, with the Data Management Core on sharing of the imaging biomarker data with the research community, and with the Research Education Component on training junior faculty. It is expected that the Neuroimaging Core will impact ADRC research operations and National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) as an advanced imaging biomarker data resource.