Wake Forest Alzheimer's Research
Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia and is NOT a normal part of aging. It is a neurodegenerative disease, which means that it progressively gets worse over time. Once the disease damages the brain, it is very difficult to overcome the loss of memory and mental function. Early diagnosis and intervention is needed to improve quality of life and either slow or halt the course of the disease. Our researchers are trying to understand the causes and early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) Alzheimer's Research Resources Overview ADRC Participant Sample Size Query Data Dictionary (NACC) Data Dictionary (Non-NACC)Alzheimer's Research Resources Overview
What is the Healthy Brain Study?
The purpose of the Healthy Brain Study is to identify and characterize early risk factors that predict cognitive decline and dementia in asymptomatic adults and adults with early signs of cognitive impairment. The data obtained from this study, collected at enrollment and then every 1-2 years, will permit us to examine disease trajectory in individuals with and without a parental FH of AD, and the role of IR and other measures of glucoregulatory dysfunction in this process. The enrollees, who will be well-characterized with regard to cognitive and metabolic status through ADRC assessments, will provide an important resource for other local (institution) and national investigations. The data and specimen repository, as part of this protocol, will provide a unified mechanism for cataloguing and storing data that can be efficiently shared across studies. This repository will also allow for important collaborations with other Alzheimer’s Disease Centers across the US that are performing similar investigations of adults at increased risk of dementia. Data sharing across multiple institutions and investigators will be critical to optimize speed of acquisition and standardization of outcomes that may ultimately lead to the development of innovative tools for early detection and new treatment strategies. The repository will include cognitive data, human specimen samples (blood, cerebrospinal fluid), medical and family history information, and neuroimaging data. Data collected from participants enrolled in the ADRC will be stored indefinitely for future investigations.
