Vanderbilt Memory and Aging Project
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Summary
This study will use an observational cohort to cross-sectionally and longitudinally relate vascular health to clinical, imaging, and biological markers of early Alzheimer's disease and cerebrovascular disease among aging adults. Adjusting for relevant clinical covariates, we will test the hypothesis that vascular health is associated with clinical, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), neuropsychological, and cerebrospinal fluid markers of early cerebrovascular and Alzheimer's disease changes (i.e., prior to the onset of significant cognitive decline or dementia). Secondarily, we will examine medical and genetic factors that might mediate associations between vascular health and brain aging, such as inflammatory processes, insulin resistance, and genetic factors (e.g., APOE, a susceptibility risk factor for dementia). Findings will advance knowledge regarding the role that vascular health plays in brain aging.
Description
As the population ages, Alzheimer's disease and dementia are becoming a public health crisis. In the initial cycle, the Vanderbilt Memory \& Aging Project was established to examine cardiovascular function in relation to structural neuroimaging changes and cognition. The investigators tested whether associations were more prominent in clinically symptomatic individuals. The investigators successfully enrolled several hundred participants age 60 and older, data successfully supported multiple training grant opportunities (e.g., National Research Service Awards, Career Development Awards), and t…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 60+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Participants recruited will include 1,000 adults age 50 and older. * After the eligibility visit, a small portion of participants (\~150) enrolling must meet diagnostic criteria for mild cognitive impairment according to a clinician diagnosis and/or medical records (i.e., participants must have mild memory or cognitive problems, but they must be free of any functional problems and not have Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia). The remaining \~850 participants will be cognitively unimpaired adults age 50 and older. * Because the neuropsychological tests used t…
Interventions
- Othernone, observational study
none, observational study
Location
- Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Tennessee