PREDICTORS OF COGNITIVE DECLINE IN NORMAL AGING

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中利用 资源由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目和 调查员(PI)可能从NIH的另一个来源获得了主要资金， 并因此可以在其他清晰的条目中表示。列出的机构是 该中心不一定是调查人员的机构。 这项研究的目的是找出一个可靠的标记物来预测老年人的认知障碍和进行性脑损伤。具体地说，海马区周围和内嗅区皮质的萎缩将通过MRI进行评估，作为海马区萎缩和记忆衰退的早期标志。两组医学上健康的老年受试者将被研究；一组将是ApoE4等位基因的携带者。第三组为20-30岁的正常健康志愿者。将在基线、18个月和36个月评估临床评估、神经心理组合和阿尔茨海默氏症相关的认知缺陷。将在18个月和36个月时进行核磁共振检查，以评估海马区的病理。利用这一人群，将检验以下假设：1)在那些有阿尔茨海默病风险的人中，S，是否存在海马体萎缩的时间序列，EC长度的变化先于海马体积的丧失，这在颞叶萎缩之前？2)EC长度是纵向记忆的预测指标，这能否被用来将患者分为正常和轻度认知障碍？3)在那些携带载脂蛋白E4等位基因的人中，基线海马区萎缩的证据是否预示着更大的记忆衰退？这项研究的发现可能会增强我们检测阿尔茨海默病(AD)高危人群的能力。到目前为止的研究结果表明，连续脑成像和图像处理在监测导致轻度认知障碍(MCI)和AD的记忆衰退的早期过程中具有重要意义。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The aim of this research is to identify a reliable marker that predicts cognitive impairment and progressive brain damage in the elderly. Specifically, atrophy of the perirhinal and entorhinal cortices of the hippocampus will be evaluated by MRI as an early marker of hippocampal atrophy and memory decline. Two groups of medically healthy elderly subjects will be studied; one group will be carriers of the ApoE4 allele. A third group will be normal healthy volunteers 20-30 years of age. Clinical evaluations, a neuropsychological battery and Alzheimer's-associated cognitive deficits will be evaluated at baseline, 18 and 36 months. MRIs will be done at 18 and 36 months to evaluate hippocampal pathology. Using this population, the following hypotheses will be tested: 1) In those at risk for Alzheimer¿'s, is there a temporal sequence of atrophy of the hippocampus, with EC length change preceding hippocampal volume loss, which precedes temporal lobe atrophy? 2) Is EC length a predictor of longitudinal memory, and can this be used to classify patients into normal and minimally cognitively impaired? 3) In those carrying the ApoE4 allele, does evidence of baseline hippocampus atrophy predict a greater memory decline? Findings from this study may enhance our ability to detect subjects at risk for Alzheimer¿¿s disease (AD). Results thus far have demonstrated the importance of serial brain imaging and image processing in monitoring the early course of memory decline leading to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD.