Comprehensive Clinical and Biological Phenotyping

In collaboration with our expert teams, the Clinical Core provides the scientific foundation for the HADRC by conducting deep clinical and biological profiling of every participant. We combine traditional memory testing with cutting-edge tools, including brain imaging, blood tests, and skin biopsies, to create a precise "biological fingerprint" of aging. This approach allows us to move beyond surface-level symptoms to understand the specific, underlying biological changes driving memory loss and cognitive decline.

 

1.     Standardized Clinical Pipeline: We use the latest national modules (NACC UDS v4 and LBD v3.1) to ensure every participant’s data meets the highest NIH benchmarks for consistency. 

2.     Vascular and Social Factors: We evaluate how heart health, lifestyle, and social factors (like where you live and work) impact your brain health using specialized health scales.

3.     Female-Specific Data: We track reproductive history, including pregnancies and hormonal health, to better understand how biological sex influences Alzheimer’s risk.

4.     Precision Biomarkers Screening: We use advanced blood tests (p-tau 217) to confirm the presence or absence of Alzheimer’s markers, ensuring each participant is correctly categorized.

5.     Multi-modal biomarker characterization: We use a variety of tools to map the brain, including:

    a.     Tau PET scans to look for Alzheimer’s-related proteins.

    b.     Advanced MRI scans to check for blood vessel health in the brain.

    c.     Skin biopsies to detect Alpha-synuclein, a marker for Lewy body disease.

1.     More Accurate Diagnoses: By using the latest biological criteria and skin-based testing, we provide a clearer diagnosis that distinguishes between overlapping conditions like Alzheimer’s and Lewy body disease.

2.     Personalized Care for Women: Our focus on hormonal and reproductive history fills a critical gap in medical knowledge, leading to more personalized health recommendations for women.

3.     Better Understanding of Risk: By combining social factors with vascular health data, we can better identify how a person’s environment and heart health contribute to their "cognitive reserve" and brain aging.

4.     Setting Global Standards: By using specialized modules for Lewy body disease and advanced MRI protocols, we are helping set the new international standard for how dementia is tracked and treated.

5.     Targeted Future Therapies: This robust dataset provides the infrastructure for the next generation of clinical trials, ensuring new treatments are tested against a person’s specific biological and sex-based profile.