The Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at USC

Vascular and Genetic Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease II (PPG II)

The purpose of this study is to learn how genetic risk factors and changes in the brain’s vascular system may be related to an increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. This study will look at biological markers for Alzheimer’s disease risk found in the blood and spinal fluid (CSF) and changes in the brain’s structure over time. We hope that the knowledge gained from this study will help us to detect the early development of Alzheimer’s disease and possibly identify new ways to treat dementia.

English- or Spanish-speaking men and women of 45 years or older are eligible for this study. Participants will receive medical examinations, tests of memory and daily function, MRI brain scans, blood tests, and a test of spinal fluid. Study participants receive a small financial compensation for visits to USC.

Read more about joining the PPG study here: English | Spanish

Please call Nadine Diaz, DSW, MSW at (213) 821-7158 for more information.

Vascular Cohort Study (VCD) [Includes VCD Pilot, VCD, VCS-II]

For many years, the central scientific theme of the USC ADRC has focused on vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease (AD). Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that traditional cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus, are linked to increased risk of AD, especially among under-represented ethnic groups. The Vascular Cohort Study (VCD) is a longitudinal study directly funded by the ADRC that interrogates the health of the neurovascular unit (NVU) using novel imaging and CSF biomarkers. Using dynamic contrast enhancement (DCE)-MRI, our Imaging Core has developed a novel Ktrans measure of permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB), one of the essential functions of the NVU. Using the Meso Scale Discovery Platform, the Biomarker Core has developed a new panel of vascular, BBB, and NVU biomarkers including cell-specific markers of pericyte, neuronal, and astroglial injury, inflammatory biomarkers, as well as AD standard Aβ and tau biomarkers that can be obtained using small quantities (0.5 ml) of CSF. Criteria for participant enrollment include age > 60 years, no or mild cognitive impairment, and presence of low, medium or high cardiovascular risk based on blood pressure, lipids, and glucose. Participants are followed annually by the Clinical Core using the NACC Uniform Data Set.

Biomarkers of ABCA1 mediated functions in Alzheimer’s (VCSGT)

The VCS-GT study is a longitudinal cohort aimed at investigating the impact of diabetes on brain connectivity. By tracking participants over time, the study seeks to understand how diabetes influences the brain’s neural networks and contributes to cognitive changes. This research could provide valuable insights into the relationship between diabetes and brain health, potentially guiding future prevention and treatment strategies.

Diverse VCID (DVCID)

As awareness of dementia increases, it is becoming common to see individuals presenting for clinical assessment with minor cognitive complaints. Neuroimaging studies frequently identify "incidental" WMH, usually ascribed to "microvascular disease" by radiologists, raising patient concerns about their brain health and future risk for dementia. To date, however, we are not aware of any studies that have comprehensively examined the impact of individual and combined MRI measures of white matter injury on cognitive performance among a diverse, non-demented, stroke free population with cognitive complaints over an extended period of observation. To address this important gap in scientific knowledge, the Diverse Vascular Cognitive Impairment project was funded by the NINDS to recruit 2250 Americans from non-Hispanic White, Black/African or Hispanic/Latino heritage to participate in a 6-year study that includes cognitive and diagnostic assessment, blood sampling for DNA and fluid biomarkers as well as 3 MRI measures. The goals of this study are to:
1) Identify the extent and characteristics of white matter injury that influence cognitive and health outcomes;
2) Evaluate Mechanisms of progression of White Matter (WM) Injury on Cognition and Health Outcomes; and
3) Based on these findings, build and validate a predictive risk model with the ultimate goal of increasing the understanding of precision medical management and planning needed by patients with white matter lesions, both for need for care as well as inclusion criteria for future therapeutic studies.

Dynamic Vasomotor Reactivity (DVR) in Alzheimer’s disease Study

The purpose of this study is to learn how changes in the regulation of blood flow to the brain may be related to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The DVR study will examine these changes in blood flow utilizing non-invasive methods. We hope that the knowledge gained from this study will help us to identify new ways to aid in the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.

English- or Spanish-speaking men and women of 55 years or older with no memory loss, mild cognitive impairment, or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease are eligible for this study. Participants will receive medical examinations, tests of memory and daily function, Amyloid PET scans, MRI brain scans, and blood tests.

Study participants receive a small financial compensation for visits to USC.

Please call Nadine Diaz, DSW, MSW at (213) 821-7158 for more information.

DHA Delivery to Brain Pilot Study (DHA2BRP)

The DHA2BRP study aims to investigate the relationship between DHA intake and cognitive function, particularly in individuals with the APOE e4 gene variant. While observational studies suggest a link between DHA and cognitive health, randomized control trials show conflicting results. Preliminary data suggest that APOE e4 carriers may have lower DHA levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) compared to non-carriers. The study hypothesizes that APOE e4 carriers have impaired delivery of DHA to the CSF following supplementation. To test this, researchers will measure DHA in red blood cell membranes and CSF, including apoE particles, in a pilot group of 16 APOE e4 carriers and 16 non-carriers at baseline and after 24 weeks of supplementation.

Standardized Centralized Alzheimer’s & Related Dementias Neuroimaging (SCAN)

The overarching theme of the USC ADRC is to elucidate vascular contributions to Alzheimer disease (AD), among diverse populations. Treatable cardiovascular risk factors are particularly prevalent among the Latinx population, but it remains unclear whether the epidemiological associations between cardiovascular risk factors and AD result from increased amyloidosis and tauopathy or reflect the additive effect of cerebrovascular disease. The addition of amyloid and tau PET scans, combined with advanced, high field MRI protocols which interrogate blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, vascular morphometry, arterial pulsatility, perivascular spaces, and cerebral blood flow will enable elucidation of these distinct pathophysiological pathways. The two-fold goals of this supplement are to contribute standardized amyloid-PET, tau-PET, and MRI neuroimaging studies on a sample of 30 elderly Latinx (> 60 years of age) to SCAN and to promote ADRD research in Latinx across all USC ADRC cores and affiliated studies. The USC ADRC participates in the national SCAN consortium funded by an administrative supplement from the National Institute on Aging.