The Cleveland Alzheimer?s Disease Research Center?s (CADRC) theme is to further understanding of the brain-behavior correlations and the biology underlying the heterogeneity of Alzheimer?s disease (AD). The Clinical Core (CC) will focus on populations that provide special insights into this broad goal and meet the general responsibilities of a clinical core, which include enrolling, characterizing, and following longitudinally a diverse population of older individuals. These subjects will receive a comprehensive UDS evaluation, and provide MRI and PET data, fluid biomarkers, and autopsy confirmation of diagnosis. The CC goals are integrated with overall center goals and include developing clinical data to assist in meeting the aims of the CADRC. A major focus of the CC will be to develop a Clinical Core Registry (CCR) that will focus on populations including individuals with rapidly progressive AD (rpAD), Dementia with Lewy Bodies, professional fighters, cognitively normal APOE ?4 carriers and non-carriers, and African Americans. Other innovations include use of teleneurology evaluations, particularly subjects with rpAD, who are unable to come to in-person evaluations. Collection of biomarkers to improve and provide diagnostic accuracy, and allow for detailed ?-omics? type analyses on these subjects will help us understand the basis for AD heterogeneity. In coordination with the Data Management and Statistics Core (DMSC) the CC will be the source for high quality patient data for the other CADRC cores and the National Alzheimer?s Coordinating Center (NACC). The inclusion of the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, NV extends our geographical reach and minority outreach and engagement, and taps into the ongoing professional fighters? study, which includes substantial minority representation. Inclusion of the Cleveland VA medical center and its Geriatric Research and Education Clinical Center (GRECC) will also boost minority enrollment. Individuals will be tracked across studies, adding value to the overall information content. Adding further value will be collaboration with the Neuropathology and Biomarker Cores to collect linked biospecimens and support the brain autopsy program to advance brain-behavior correlations. Accessibility to data and biospecimens of CCR participants for internal and external investigators will be improved by linking efforts across all cores and components. The CC will advance AD research by supporting pilot projects funded through the ADRC and, in collaboration with the Research Education Component (REC, train new scientists using structured evaluations, clinical care, and research in a trainee-friendly environment. As implemented the mission, vision, and research goals of the CC over the next five years are well- integrated into the ADRC?s specific goals, and align with the National Alzheimer?s Action Plan and recent initiatives to increase coordination among local and federally funded programs in aging and dementia.
