Finding a disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the greatest challenges of our generation. There is a consensus in the scientific community that the key to success in treating AD is to begin therapies as early as possible before significant brain damage occurs. Thus characterizing preclinical biomarkers and early detection paradigms, which is the focus of my work, is paramount. A distributed network of brain regions, including the hippocampus, adjacent cortical regions in the medial temporal lobe, and other brain regions sub-serve memory function. Paired associative memory tasks that rely on this network have been shown to be sensitive to subtle deficits in the preclinical stages of AD. I propose to build upon my previous research with autosomal dominant AD to establish conceptual frameworks and comparisons with late-onset sporadic AD with an emphasis on the analysis of memory network disruption as an early marker of preclinical AD. To this end, I will leverage my access to two extraordinarily rich preclinical AD groups, 1) the Colombian kindred with Presenilin 1 E280A (Glu280Ala) mutation, estimated to have 1,500 mutation carriers, and 2) a group of asymptomatic older individuals who are participants in the Harvard Aging Brain Study (HABS) at MGH and are considered at high risk (by molecular pathology imaging) to develop late- onset sporadic AD. The primary goals of this application are to: (i) investigate abnormalities of associative-memory processes as a possible cognitive marker of preclinical AD; (ii) investigate brain hyper-activity/hyper- connectivity as a marker of early AD pathology; and, (iii) examine the role of tau and amyloid aggregation in memory network dysfunction. The research proposed in this application will use cognitive measures, fMRI and PET imaging to examine the hypothesis that memory network dysfunction occurs in early preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease. This research will provide insight into the interaction of cognitive and brain function biomarkers in preclinical AD. In particular, this work will provide new understanding of how amyloid and tau pathology impact memory function very early in the disease process, and their role in subsequent neuronal death and cognitive decline.

Public Health Relevance

Functional alterations in memory networks will be study in presymptomatic individuals with familial Alzheimer's disease (AD) caused by the mutation E280A in the Presenilin-1, and cognitively-normal older individuals at high risk (by molecular pathology imaging) to develop AD. This research will provide new understanding of how amyloid and tau pathology impact memory function in preclinical stages of the disease, and their role in subsequent neuronal death and cognitive decline.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Office of The Director, National Institutes of Health (OD)
Type
Early Independence Award (DP5)
Project #
3DP5OD019833-03S1
Application #
9188789
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1 (53)R)
Program Officer
Basavappa, Ravi
Project Start
2014-09-19
Project End
2019-08-31
Budget Start
2016-09-01
Budget End
2017-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
$108,842
Indirect Cost
$45,192
Name
Massachusetts General Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
073130411
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02114
Quiroz, Yakeel T; Sperling, Reisa A; Norton, Daniel J et al. (2018) Association Between Amyloid and Tau Accumulation in Young Adults With Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease. JAMA Neurol 75:548-556
Babulal, Ganesh M; Quiroz, Yakeel T; Albensi, Benedict C et al. (2018) Perspectives on ethnic and racial disparities in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: Update and areas of immediate need. Alzheimers Dement :
Norton, Daniel J; Amariglio, Rebecca; Protas, Hillary et al. (2017) Subjective memory complaints in preclinical autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease. Neurology 89:1464-1470
Aguirre-Acevedo, Daniel C; Lopera, Francisco; Henao, Eliana et al. (2016) Cognitive Decline in a Colombian Kindred With Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study. JAMA Neurol 73:431-8
Quiroz, Yakeel T; Willment, Kim Celone; Castrillon, Gabriel et al. (2015) Successful Scene Encoding in Presymptomatic Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 47:955-64
Quiroz, Yakeel T; Schultz, Aaron P; Chen, Kewei et al. (2015) Brain Imaging and Blood Biomarker Abnormalities in Children With Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study. JAMA Neurol 72:912-9