Psychiatric Characterization/Mild Cognitive Impairment

描述（申请人提供）：轻度认知障碍（MCI）的研究至关重要，因为MCI受试者转化为阿尔茨海默病（AD）的速度为10-15%/年，而一般人群为1-2%;事实上，候选人的长期目标是发展一个研究项目，致力于通过早期发现和治疗患者的精神问题来预防AD。MCI。为了实现这一目标，候选人需要在前瞻性研究方面拥有专业知识和知识。K 01奖的拟议特别申请（新少数民族教师科学家发展奖）将通过两个短期目标解决这一需求：（1）发展神经退行性疾病的专业知识，重点是MCI，这是正常衰老和AD之间的边界区域;以及（2）发展前瞻性研究和纵向方法的专业知识，重点是确定精神病风险因素及其对疾病的影响MCI的进展。这两个目标将通过辅导活动、课程工作和研究来实现。候选人的导师是针对MCI的AD预防研究的主要研究者（PI），涉及70个阿尔茨海默病研究中心。候选人将在整个资助期间定期与导师会面，讨论教学和研究问题。课程工作将导致通过马约临床研究培训计划（MCRTP）的临床研究硕士学位。候选人的研究计划是创新的，因为它的目标是MCI的非认知变量的研究。大多数MCI受试者可能表现出AD的最早体征。这些表现不仅包括认知功能障碍，但也可能涉及神经精神症状。在这个拟议的K奖，冷漠，焦虑和抑郁将纵向研究MCI受试者和年龄性别匹配的控制。这项研究将在马约老年痴呆症研究中心进行。K奖之后将提交R 01，重点关注这些症状的治疗，以降低MCI向AD的下降率。总之，K奖的研究项目和教育活动将为候选人成为衰老和痴呆之间灰色地带的独立研究者奠定基础。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The study of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is crucial since MCI subjects convert to Alzheimer's Disease (AD) at the rate of 10-15%/year as compared to 1-2% of the general population; indeed, the long term goal of the candidate is to develop a research project dedicated to the prevention of AD by early detection and treatment of psychiatric problems in patients with MCI. In order to achieve this; the candidate needs to have expertise and knowledge in prospective research. The proposed special application of the K01 Award (Scientist Development Award for New Minority Faculty) will address this need via two short term goals: (1) developing expertise in neurodegenerative disorders with a focus on MCI, which is the border zone between normal aging and AD; and (2) developing expertise in prospective research and longitudinal methods by focusing on identifying psychiatric risk factors and their impact in the disease progression of MCI. These two objectives will be met via mentored activities, course work and research. The mentor of the candidate is a Principal Investigator (PI) on AD prevention study targeting MCI involving 70 Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers. The candidate will meet with the mentors regularly throughout the grant period to discuss didactic and research issues. The course work will lead to a MSc degree in clinical research through the Mayo Clinical Research Training Program (MCRTP). The candidate's research plan is innovative because it targets the study of noncognitive variables in MCI. Most subjects with MCI likely manifest the earliest signs of AD. These manifestations not only include cognitive dysfunction, but may also involve neuropsychiatric symptoms as well. In this proposed K award, apathy, anxiety and depression will be longitudinally studied in MCI subjects and age-gender matched controls. The research will be conducted at the Mayo Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. The K award will then be followed by an R01 submission that will focus on the treatment of these symptoms in order to decrease the rate of decline of MCI to AD. In summary, the research project and the educational activities of the K award will lay down the foundation for the candidate to become an independent investigator in the gray zone between aging and dementia.