ALZHEIMERS DISEASE RESEARCH CENTER

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The goal of this Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC), (Director: Lindy Harrell, M.D., Ph.D., and Associate Directors Daniel Marson, J.D., Ph.D., Michael Wyss, M.D.) is to foster a model of clinical and basic science research effect into the pathology of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). This ADRC is comprised of 5 cores and 4 "R01" type projects. The Administrative ore will provide the implementation of all visibility through pilot grants (i.e., bring new investigators), and a monthly seminar series and interactions with other ADRC/ADCC. The Clinical Core will recruit and annually follow mild and moderate AD patients and normal controls, diagnosed by 2 neurologists (subjects 25% African- American, 75% white, the racial mixture of Jefferson County), will provide 1) biostatistical services, 2) tissue collection, and 3) patients for investigators. Neuropsychological battery, provide additional neuropsychological tests requested by investigators, and develop methods to analyze longitudinal data. Neuropathological Core will obtain diagnoses, process and store tissue (brain, CSF), making these available to investigators. Information Transfer Core will provide education to physicians, lay and paraprofessional communities (with emphasis on African-Americans), maintained a Speakers Bureau, caregiver's newsletter, packets of AD information, add a 1-800 telephone line, continue our annual CME conferences, add a home page on the World Web, and disseminate ADRC research through multimedia means. The first three "R01" projects are thematically linked to understanding how AD patients lose specific capacities. Project 1 will examine performance of AD patients in a driving stimulator to understand the cognitive changes associated with defective driving and the changes over time. Project 2 will examine behavioral problems impacting caregivers to determine if telephone interventions modify their burden. Project 3 will examine the longitudinal loss of financial capabilities and their neuropsychological underpinnings. Project 4 differs in that the effects of neuregulins (which may regulate Na+, k+ channels and neurotrophins) will be accessed in AD and aging. The Administration strongly supports this ADRC both philosophically and financially, paying full salary (approximately $46,000) of the Administrator, and renovating Brain Resource Program space ($200,000-250,000). An ADRC at UAB would allow us to continue both our clinical and basic science research efforts in AD and would allow us to expand into new research areas.