Risk Factor and Neuroimaging

With the rapid aging of the American population, chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease which result in memory loss and loss of functional independence will become increasingly common. It is important to identify ways of preventing these diseases and maintaining cognitive vitality. The focus of this project is to identify factors which would influence development of dementia in normal older adults as well as identify factors that are associated with successful aging.

This project enrolls volunteers from the community and follows them with health assessments and tests of brain function. All volunteers are evaluated by a neurologist and then participate in a series of neuropsychological tests which assess memory, thinking, attention, language, and the ability to function. Thereafter, participants are seen for a follow-up evaluation each year. In addition, blood will be drawn each year to measure potentially important markers that may be related to brain health. Selected subjects are asked to undergo a research MRI to measure brain structure and function.

The comprehensive information collected on study participants is stored in a computerized database. This detailed data provides researchers with information on changes in biology, neurology, neuropsychology and behavior that accompany aging in health and disease.