The Pathology Core provides tissue diagnoses of Alzheimer's disease (AD), cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and related dementias and links the clinical studies with basic research by project-driven tissue procurement and allocation. The diagnostic protocol integrates components of the CERAD program and Braak and Braak parameters recommendeq by the NIA-Reagan Institute Workshop Group and the IVD program project protocol. During the current funding period, the Core played an integral role in project design, serving a total of 41 funded investigators conducting 43 projects yielding 44 publications in peer review journals, and 42 abstracts. In the renewal, projects of 26 investigators located at 8 academic centers emphasize oxidant stress, CVD, hypoxia/ischemia, Abeta, sex hormones, inflammation, an? aging. Tissues are mainly obtained from patients enrolled in the USC Clinical Core, Spanish-Speaking Satellite, and from the USC Anatomical Gift Program. Neuropathology correlates will be available for future extensions of Projects 1 and 3.A 24-hour autopsy service minimizes post-mortem delay and insures high-fidelity preparation for biochemistry, molecular biology, RNA expression. The Core provides reliable neuroanatomical dissections and secialized tissue preparations (e.g., """"""""fresh"""""""" tissue for 9 studies). The Core will also coordinate genotyping for risk factors (e.g., ApoE) from post-mortem tissue, as well as from blood samples obtained by the Clinical Core, Spanish Speaking Satellite, ant Project 2. Currently, clinical information including dementia severity and neuropathology diagnostic data are accessible online through the ADRC website. Neuropathological data is shared on an ongoing basis with the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC).
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