Evaluation of Age- and Alzheimer's Disease-Related Memory Disorder

The purpose of this study is to examine how a part of the brain called the hippocampus contributes to memory changes that occur with aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Memory problems are the most important early symptoms of AD. The hippocampal region of the brain may be responsible for many age- and AD-related memory disorders. This study will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to examine the structure, chemical composition, and function of the hippocampus in participants with AD, participants with mild memory problems, participants who are healthy but are at risk for AD, and healthy volunteers. Participants in this study will undergo MRI scans of the brain. During the MRI, participants will perform memory tests to demonstrate hippocampal functioning.

The major focus of the Geriatric Psychiatry Branch (GPB) is the study of individuals with memory disorders as a result of age or neurodegeneration. In particular, memory is the most important earliest clinical symptom of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although the hippocampus may not be a biological determinant of all memories, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that dysfunction of the hippocampus plays an important role in the most common forms of memory disorders. This proposal will allow for the application of an array of newly developed magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy methods to the study of hippocampal function in these patients. Most importantly, for the first time, structure, perfusion and neurochemical composition of the hippocampus in living individuals can be evaluated at high resolution without known risk. The study of longitudinal changes in hippocampal function should allow us to understand the contributions that various genotypes, e.g., ApoE4, and abnormalities in cerebrospinal fluid, e.g., A-beta42 and tau, play in the development of abnormal hippocampal structure and function.