Methods in Longitudinal Dementia (MELODEM) Initiative

项目摘要 寻找有效的策略来预防或治疗阿尔茨海默病和痴呆的相关原因 (ADRD)是全球公共卫生优先事项。这次搜索异常困难，反映了复杂的， 最终导致ADRD的多因素过程、诊断的模糊性和 对大脑疾病的研究。痴呆纵向研究方法(MELODEM)是一个 加强、协调和颁布可持续发展战略分析和设计方法的国际倡议 研究。MELODEM成立于2012年，召集了一个由研究人员组成的国际跨学科小组， 包括流行病学家、神经心理学家、神经学家和生物统计学家，在不同的职业阶段， 确定和解决ADRD定量研究中常见的方法学挑战。这些方法论 挑战--如选择/消耗、反向因果关系以及认知和痴呆的测量--有 对风险因素在多大程度上预防或减缓ADRD进展的潜在偏差估计 是ADRD的。有些偏向可能是极端的，以至于颠倒了估计效果的方向(例如，保护性的 而不是有害的联想)。在过去的5年里，MELODEM每年都会召开面对面的会议 30-40名研究人员，每月召开以方法为主题的工作组基于网络的电话会议。 拟议的会议赠款将支持一年一度的面对面MELODEM会议，以促进发展和 传播有效和严格的分析方法，以进行预防和预防的量化研究 治疗ADRD，目标是(A)在需要时开发新方法，(B)就以下问题达成共识 分析方法的“最佳做法”，以及(C)提供一个平台，向初级和 资深研究人员。为了继续朝着严格的分析方法和“最佳做法”努力， MELODEM年度进展会议将包括“数据研讨会”和“讨论会议”两个主题 与当前ADRD研究中的方法学挑战相关。会议将由以下人员领导和主持 该领域的领导者和研究人员，从研究生到资深科学家都将参加。这个 格兰特还将为美国研究人员参加年会和辅助会议提供差旅支持 活动。最后，为了维持会议期间讨论的合作和想法，赠款将支持 会后活动，最终发表来自合作研究的报告， 会议以及与不能亲自出席会议的更广泛的研究人员群体的联系。 这些活动包括网上电话会议和小型工作组会议。支持 拟议的MELODEM会议将加强与ADRD相关的量化研究方法，促进 协作、跨学科的社区解决最重要的技术挑战，并促进 迅速采用最佳做法，以解决ADRD预防和研究中共同面临的技术挑战 ADRD的治疗。

PROJECT ABSTRACT The search for effective strategies to prevent or treat Alzheimer's disease and related causes of dementia (ADRD) is a global public health priority. This search has been exceptionally difficult, reflecting the complex, multi-factorial processes culminating in ADRD, the diagnostic ambiguity, and the intrinsic challenges of research on diseases of the brain. Methods in Longitudinal Research on Dementia (MELODEM) is an international initiative to strengthen, harmonize, and promulgate analytic and design approaches for ADRD research. Launched in 2012, MELODEM convenes an international interdisciplinary group of researchers, including epidemiologists, neuropsychologists, neurologists, and biostatisticians, across career stages, to identify and address common methodologic challenges in quantitative research on ADRD. These methodologic challenges—such as selection/attrition, reverse causation, and measurement of cognition and dementia—have the potential to bias estimates of the extent to which risk factors protect against ADRD or slow the progression of ADRD. Some biases can be so extreme as to reverse the direction of estimated effects (e.g., protective instead of harmful association). For the past 5 years, MELODEM has convened an annual in-person meeting of 30-40 researchers and monthly web-based conference calls of methodologically themed working groups. The proposed meeting grant will support annual in-person MELODEM meetings to foster development and dissemination of valid and rigorous analytical approaches for quantitative research on the prevention and treatment of ADRD, with the goals of (a) developing new methods when needed, (b) reaching consensus on “best practices” for analytic methods, and (c) providing a platform to share and teach methods to junior and senior researchers. To continue working towards rigorous analytical approaches and “best practices,” the MELODEM annual progress meeting will include both “Data Workshops” and “Discussion Sessions” on topics relevant to current methodological challenges in ADRD research. The sessions will be led and moderated by leaders in the field and researchers ranging from graduate students to senior scientists will participate. The grant will also provide travel support for US researchers to participate in the annual meeting and ancillary activities. Finally, to sustain the collaborations and ideas discussed during the meeting, the grant will support post-meeting activities culminating in published reports from the collaborative research stemming from the conference and connections with a broader group of researchers not able to attend the meetings in person. These activities include web-based conference calls and small working group meetings. Support for the proposed MELODEM meetings will strengthen quantitative research methods related to ADRD, foster a collaborative, interdisciplinary community addressing the most important technical challenges, and promote rapid adoption of best-practices for solving shared technical challenges in ADRD research on prevention and treatment of ADRD.