Vascular Effects on Normal Neural and Cognitive Aging

项目摘要 凯伦·M. Rodrigue博士，是为了加深 候选人在认知神经科学领域的专业知识，使她能够研究新的问题 关于血管风险在大脑和认知老化中的作用。该项目的主要目的是研究一个 衰老的血管假说研究了一般血管危险因素的作用，如高血压， 和特定的脑血管机制，如灌注不足，在塑造神经和 在正常老化模型中的认知老化。拟议的K99研究阶段的重点是这一目标， 检验与年龄相关的局部脑灌注改变预测认知功能下降的假设， 健康的中年和老年人的表现。指导阶段还检查修改 高血压对功能磁共振成像范例中神经活动的影响，测试了高血压对神经活动的影响， 血管健康可以解释与年龄相关的脑功能去分化。一个有代表性的人 使用寿命样本的差异方法将用于检验K99阶段的假设。R00阶段 通过检查血管健康对神经和认知能力下降的影响， 正常衰老中淀粉样蛋白沉积的预测因子。本研究建议的目标与以下目标雅阁： 国家老龄化研究所的使命。了解血管健康对成功， 以及病理性衰老是非常重要的， 人口及其对预防和治疗的顺从性。所获得的研究技能和知识 申请人在完成本项目期间（例如，功能磁共振成像，灌注和PET成像的培训）沿着 培训计划中概述的拟议课程和专业发展活动将使她能够 成功转型为认知神经科学家的独立职位。

PROJECT SUMMARY ABSTRACT The objectives of this Pathway to Independence Award for Karen M. Rodrigue, Ph.D., are to deepen the candidate's expertise in the field of cognitive neuroscience to enable her to investigate novel questions regarding the role of vascular risk in brain and cognitive aging. The central aim of this project is to examine a vascular hypothesis of aging which investigates the role of general vascular risk factors, such as hypertension, and specific cerebrovascular mechanisms such as hypoperfusion, in shaping the course of neural and cognitive aging within a normal aging model. The proposed K99 phase of research focuses on this aim by testing the hypothesis that age-related alteration in regional brain perfusion predicts decline in the cognitive performance of healthy middle-aged and older adults. The mentored phase also examines the modifying effects of hypertension on neural activity in an fMRI paradigm, testing the hypothesis that differences in vascular health can explain age-related dedifferentiation of brain function. A cross-sectional individual differences approach with a lifespan sample will be used to test hypotheses in the K99 phase. The R00 phase extends the study of the impact of vascular health on neural and cognitive decline by examining vascular predictors of ¿-amyloid deposition in normal aging. The objectives of this research proposal are in accord with the mission of the National Institute on Aging. Understanding the contributions of vascular health to successful, as well as pathological aging is fundamentally important given both the prevalence of vascular risk in the aging population, and its amenability to prevention and treatment. The research skills and knowledge gained by the applicant during the completion of this project (e.g., training in fMRI, perfusion and PET imaging) along with the proposed coursework and professional development activities outlined in the training plan, will enable her to successfully transition to an independent position as a cognitive neuroscientist.