NEUROPATHOLOGY CORE

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The primary goal of the Neuropathology Core is to promote and support research on mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders through banking and distribution of well-characterized tissue coupled with comprehensive neuropathologic assessment of ADC registry cases coming to autopsy. To best achieve this goal, the Emory ADC will work in partnership with the Neuropathology Core of the Indiana University ADC. The combined resources of the two institutions and their unique strengths create a synergistic relationship that will build upon already existing inter-institutional collaborations, enhance the capabilities of both institutions, and support the achievement of the primary goal of the Neuropathology Core through the following activities: (1) Comprehensive neuropathologic, biochemical and molecular genetic assessment of autopsy brains from dementia patients, controls and subjects with mild cognitive impairment. This assessment includes characterization of the heterogeneity of AD and dementias associated with other neurologic disorders (e.g., Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementias, and vascular disease). (2) Generation of reliable neuropathologic data for correlation with information collected by the Clinical Core and for use in research studies at Emory University, Indiana University, and other institutions. (3) Maintenance of an active tissue bank to facilitate the acquisition, storage, handling, and distribution of well-characterized autopsy brain tissue, DMA, and other biological samples. (4) Determination of ApoE genotype on all blood samples accessioned by the Clinical Core and on all autopsy cases accessioned by the Neuropathology Core, molecular genetic analysis of other genes associated with neurodegenerative disease, and facilitation of collaborative investigations using the Neuropathology Core's bank of DNA extracts, plasma samples, and buffy coat isolates generated during the genotyping process.