This study draws on a unique community-based longitudinal cohort of 378 subjects who span the range of impairment between normal aging and mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This research focuses on two key steps to find AD genes and to understand their impact.
- Investigate the relationship of amyloid deposition to memory impairment using Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB), a new imaging technique.
- Collect DNA samples for a complete a genome screen of the full cohort, and analyze using a set of optimal quantitative phenotypes. The hypothesis is that longitudinal quantitative phenotypes will provide greater power to detect AD genes than conventional affection status (AD vs. no AD) approaches.