The primary objective of the Vanderbilt Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (VADRC) is to provide local and national researchers with access to a well-characterized and diverse clinical cohort, including participant referrals, biosamples, clinical data, and neuroimaging data. The VADRC Clinical Core will create an infrastructure to support research efforts of both local and national investigator studies to develop early detection, prevention, and treatment strategies for Alzheimer's disease. The Clinical Core intends to enroll up to 1000 participants, including individuals who are cognitively unimpaired, have mild cognitive impairment, or have Alzheimer's disease. This cohort of about 1000 participants will be called the Tennessee Alzheimer's Project. Participants will be seen annually for comprehensive clinical characterization and then referred to other studies to enhance Alzheimer's disease research activities.
Age 60 or older
Meet standard criteria for (a) cognitively unimpaired, (b) mild cognitive impairment, or (c) Alzheimer's disease
English speaking
Individuals who lack decisional capacity to provide informed consent at baseline will not be enrolled in the study
No available reliable study partner (reliable is defined as someone who interacts significantly with the participant and is available to participate in study visits in person or by phone)
History of major psychiatric illness (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar), neurological illness (e.g., epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease), or head injury with significant loss of consciousness.
Unable to undergo MRI (e.g., claustrophobia, ferrous metal in body)
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Lead sponsor
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Collaborator