Clinical Core

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

REVISED ABSTRACT Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center: Clinical Core The Mission of the MADRC Clinical Core parallels that of our Center as a whole: to detect clinically meaningful changes in cognition and function in older participants whose cognition ranges from normal to dementia, and who have syndromic Alzheimer’s, Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), or Frontotemporal Dementia (FTLD). We aim at integrating standard and novel clinical measures with advanced imaging and fluid biomarker data to evaluate clinical progression in the context of disease markers, in order to accurately predict future trajectories. To accomplish these goals, we have three Aims. Aim 1 CONTRIBUTES to the Center’s ability to carry out clinical research on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD), focusing on developing and maintaining a diverse Research Cohort of men and women with enhanced recruitment of Black or African American and Hispanic participants, facilitating the collection of neuroimaging studies and fluid biomarkers, and developing a protocol for disclosure of research findings. Aim 2, DEVELOPS new strategies, focusing on achieving universal deep phenotyping of our Research Cohort and developing and testing novel clinical instruments, with an emphasis on digital methods, for early disease detection and tracking of minimum clinically meaningful change that can readily translate into primary care and community-based settings. We will also work closely with the newly created MassGeneral Brigham Alzheimer Therapeutic program – a centralized program focused on equitable access and monitoring of all patients undergoing newly FDA-approved medications for AD in our institution– to implement standard UDS and validated novel measures in those patients. We will continue to share our data and discoveries with other ADRCs and the broader scientific community for validation and implementation. Aim 3 TRAINS clinical fellows and offers immersive experiences of clinical ADRD to REC trainees in clinical diagnosis and provides cutting-edge training in clinical research methods. Aim 4 maximizes the Clinical Core staff and Research Cohort participants by fostering recruitment, training, and retention of staff, and fully engaging and facilitating access to our growing participants and their local communities to all research, education, and treatment and prevention efforts on ADRD. Overall, our ultimate goal is to engage across all stakeholders - patients, caregivers, clinicians and researchers- as direct partners to accelerate toward a cure for ADRD.