Genetic epidemiology has been named a new primary focus of the ADRC. During the previous five years, the original Biostatistics Core (renamed the Biostatistics & Epidemiology Core) emphasized the development of an active field and methodology program in the genetic epidemiology of Alzheimer's disease. The success of this effort has led to the naming of the GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY CORE. The interaction of genetics and environmental/lifestyle exposure is likely to be an important component in the etiology of AD. The Genetic Epidemiology Core will emphasize, but not be limited to, programs to identify environmental and lifestyle risk factors, genetic etiologies, and their interactions between genetic and environmental and lifestyle exposures. The Core has nine specific aims: HIGHER PRIORITY SPECIFIC AIMS (1) continue development of the collaborative genetic epidemiologic research program to identify both genetic and environmental/lifestyle factors related to AD etiology; (2) continue development of improved biostatistical techniques related to AD subgroup identification, combined genetic segregation, environmental/lifestyle risk factor, and linkage analyses, and development of analytic strategies to correct for exposure measurement error resulting from errors in surrogate answers to interview questions; (3) identify AD subgroups of etiologic, clinical and/or prognostic significance; (4) advance our understanding of the clinical and neuropsychologic aspects of AD by collaborating on the utilization of the ADRC's extensive clinical, neuropsychological and neuropathological databases; (5) assist ADRC-associated researchers in protocol and proposal development and biostatistical analyses; (6) manage ADRC clinical, neuropsychological and neuropathological databases at USC and consult on the management of the databases at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center (RLAMC) and UCIrvine; collaborate on the implementation of the ADRC common database on the UCI Teradata computer; LOWER PRIORITY SPECIFIC AIMS (7) develop population-based methods of subject and family recruitment into the ADRC clinical cores; (8) analyze data from supplemental grants or from outside of the ADRC relating to ADRC goals; and (9) develop epidemiologic research related to AD patient caregiving an family sequelae among Black, White, and Hispanic and Oriental populations.
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