Early Detection and Prevention of Mild Cognitive Impairment Due to Cerebrovascular Disease

There is a great unmet need to distinguish clinically between the different causes of cognitive impairment in elderly individuals for the sake of early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention designed to improve outcomes for patients. The University of Kentucky Alzheimer’s Disease Center (UK-ADC) has been at the forefront of studying the most prevalent causes of Non-AD MCI, demonstrating that over two-thirds of elderly patients have non-AD brain conditions that deleteriously affect cognition. We have chosen to focus on MCI due to cerebrovascular disease (MCI-CVD). This application focuses on defining the pathological underpinnings and relationships of specific risk factors to MCI-CVD, developing clinical diagnostic criteria for MCI-CVD using imaging, serum, and CSF biomarkers that will also allow longitudinal evaluation and assessment of therapeutic interventions in MCI-CVD. As such, the current application represents a comprehensive bench-to-bedside translational program designed to directly increase our understanding of and impact the major cause of cognitive decline in the elderly population today. The multidisciplinary team represents leaders in the field with proven track histories of scientific accomplishments and collaborative enterprise in the area of MCI. Successful completion of project aims will allow an integrated understanding of MCI-CVD with the potential for tremendous impact on one of the major healthcare crises facing the nation today.