Neuroimaging Core

Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

Project Summary: Neuroimaging Core The OADRC Neuroimaging Core curates an extensive longitudinal database of over 3700 MRIs from over 1000 participants, most 80 years of age or older, and has implemented acquisition of advanced imaging sequences on multiple platforms and developed innovative analysis techniques to further our understanding of MRI markers associated with age-related changes in cognitive function. These advances have enabled the OADRC to collaborate and foster neuroimaging research in brain aging both within and outside of OHSU. The OADRC Neuroimaging Core supports in vivo 3T MRI and PET acquisition and analysis of studies investigating Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), with a focus on vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). This includes a related new focus on the perivascular spaces in ADRD, including associations with the sleep-active glymphatic system. The OADRC Neuroimaging Core has developed a 7T postmortem (PM) imaging protocol of human brain tissue for the targeted sampling of MRI- defined regions of interest for histopathology, and, in collaboration with the OADRC Neuropathology Core, has developed rigorous methods for the quantification of digitized immunohistochemical outcomes to uncover molecular underpinnings of age and disease-related cognitive decline (i.e., “molecular/digital imaging”). Imaging research themes supported by the core include: 1) healthy aging and early in vivo imaging markers of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, 2) the role of cerebrovascular disease on cognitive function and dementia risk, with a focus on under-represented groups known to have greater vascular risk factors, such as the oldest old, Black and isolated older adults (e.g., those living alone or in rural communities), 3) the use of PM imaging and quantification of digitized pathology for the characterization of molecular contributions to age- related cognitive decline, and 4) scientific focus on characterizing MRI features of home-based digital biomarkers, including the examination of MR-visible perivascular spaces in relation to sleep-active glymphatic function, a known physiological driver of ADRD pathology. The Neuroimaging Core will provide essential resources to pursue and develop novel MRI sequence and analysis techniques for current and future aging studies and facilitate our ability to further our understanding of age-related cognitive changes. The core will continue to consolidate and substantially build upon previous advances that include in vivo and PM MRI methods and “molecular imaging” to detect early brain changes associated with cognitive decline in elderly at risk for dementia. The Specific Aims of the proposed Neuroimaging Core are: 1) To obtain and make available for research state of the art neuroimaging acquisition on OADRC participants including: healthy controls, MCI, and those with mild AD and other dementias; 2) To obtain and make available for research, advanced processing and storage of neuroimaging data on OADRC participants; and 3) To foster collaborative research involving neuroimaging, and enhance utilization of other core resources.