The Neuropathology Core (Core C), a central component of our Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC), arranges and conducts autopsies, performs neuropathological evaluations of human subjects (Core B, Project), and assists in the assessment of transgenic (Tg) animal models of Ad (Projects 1-3). To support research that requires brains from humans, Core C operates the Brain Resource Center (BRC), a repository of fixed/frozen autopsy tissues. The faculty of Core C plays a critical role in training basic scientists and physicians in the pathology of aging and neurodegenerative diseases, consults with outside pathologists on cases of dementia, and does genotyping relevant to AD. The Core C prospective autopsy program is unique because of the large proportion of control subjects from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) (Core B). During the next five years, we project a total of 113 autopsies, 71 of which will be longitudinally characterized subjects from the BLSA. Many of these individuals will have had neuroimaging studies as part of a parallel NIA study. Tissues from these subjects as well as from other cases of AD will be accessed to the BRC and will continue to be made available for research, not only within the ADRC, but to the scientific community at large. Core C will support morphological studies of Tg mice that recapitulate several of the APPswe Tg mice recapitulate several of the pathological features of AD (Projects 1-3). Many of these analyses will require quantitative morphometry and, thereby, support will require the assistance of the histology laboratory and stereology unit. Through these multiple activities, Core C acts to facilitate and coordinate the evaluations of both clinical and experimental in Projects 1-4, thereby greatly enhancing the diagnostic and research capabilities of our ADRC.
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