North Texas ADRC - Neuropathology Core

Ut Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX

Investigators

Abstract

NEUROPATHOLOGY CORE The major focus of the Neuropathology Core (NP Core) of the NT-ADRC will be to fully characterize and document the structural neuropathologic features of Alzhiemer disease (AD) and Alzhiemer disease related disorders (ADRD) and other morphologic changes associated with aging and cognitive impairment in brains of subjects who come to autopsy. Specific functions will be to (a) collect, prepare, and evaluate postmortem brain tissue from deceased AD/ADRD, MCI, and control subjects for use in diagnosis and research; (b) report diagnostic information to physicians, families, and researchers and contribute diagnostic and related information to NACC; (c) collaborate with the Clinical Core to conduct Clinico-Pathologic Conferences for autopsy subjects; and (d) enhance brain donation from underrepresented communities though collaboration with the Outreach, Recruitment and Engagement (ORE) Core. The NP Core will also support investigator-initiated research on MCI, AD/ADRD, and aging by UT Southwestern researchers and external collaborators and train the next generation of AD/ADRD investigators. In this respect, the NP Core will provide well-characterized tissue samples, neuropathologic diagnostic data, and derivative resources (e.g., digital images) to support ongoing projects, as well as provide research and educational support to ADRC-funded developmental projects, REC Scholars, and other internal and external collaborators. Additionally, in keeping with the “vascular” theme of the ADRC, the NP Core will leverage the experience of Core investigators to develop new machine learning (ML) approaches to studying vascular contributions to AD/ADRD. Specifically, we will use ML approaches to characterize pathological changes in digital images of autopsy brains to identify vascular-related morphologic alterations as well as develop algorithms to characterize features of amyloid angiopathy to predict risk of complications of anti-amyloid therapy in human subjects. Finally, NP Core investigators will interact broadly with all other ADRC components, including participation in the Administrative Core as part of the Core Leaders group, interactions with the Clinical Core and Biomarker and Imaging Core to coordinate monthly CPCs and other clinical, educational, and research efforts, and as a quality control feedback mechanism for the Clinical Core and the Biomarker and Imaging Core. NP Core investigators will work closely with the Data Management, Informatics, and Statistics Core to ensure timely and accurate collection of neuropathology data, and in the development of a web-based biospecimen locator for use by investigators who wish to access NP Core resources. The NP Core’s role in the CPCs and journal club and other seminar, creating teaching materials and outreach efforts utilized by the ORE Core will allow NP Core team to play a key role in the Center.