STARRRS: an open rat resource for the study of reserve and resilience against Alzheimer's disease

National Institute On Aging

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Ongoing progress includes: phased import of male and female rats at 1-month of age for longitudinal assessment, current colony census nearing 400; collection of approximately 160 individual animal whole-brain structural and functional MRI scans, carried out using the dedicated STARRRS high-field 9.4T magnetic resonance imaging facility; deep longitudinal phenotyping of multiple physical and cognitive domains; continued optimization and validation of behavioral testing, biospecimen collection and processing procedures. Utilizing a validated rat model that prominently features increased individual differences in cognitive aging, STARRRS generates well-powered longitudinal datasets for identifying biological and behavioral mediators of successful cognitive aging, and for examining how sex modulates these trajectories. STARRRS design and implementation is valuably informed by intra- and extramural stakeholder input, including standing and ad-hoc, topic-oriented workgroups, i.e., a STARRRS Executive Group; Biospecimen Workgroup; Behavioral Workgroup; Data Management & Sharing Workgroup; Tech Team Workgroup; and a Neuroimaging Workgroup. Continued emphasis has been on establishing facilities to manage and openly distribute STARRRS resources, i.e., a web-based coordination and digital data center, and a biospecimen repository. The STARRRS online coordination aims to support a relational database of project resources, as well as manage user requests for data and biospecimens, coordinate release of materials, provide user support, and promote STARRRS utilization to the research community.