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Active Investigations

There are many active research projects accessing and applying shared ADNI data. Use the search above to find specific research focuses on the active ADNI investigations. This information is requested annually as a requirement for data access.

Principal Investigator  
Principal Investigator's Name: Jennifer Shearon
Institution: Washington University in St. Louis
Department: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Country:
Proposed Analysis: Indirect effects of BDNF on the brain and cognition via cardiovascular function Background. Prior work has shown that higher levels of BDNF are associated with better brain health and cognitive function (Erickson et al., 2010; Siuda et al., 2017). There is also evidence that BDNF is expressed in cardiovascular tissue and that is has beneficial effects on cardiovascular function. This is evidenced by higher BDNF being associated with lower incidence of coronary heart disease and mortality (Sustar, et al., 2019; Kaess, et al., 2015). The goal of the current study is to investigate more closely the relationship between BDNF and cardiovascular function, and to assess whether there is a mediating effect of cardiovascular function on the relationship between BDNF and brain and cognitive outcomes. Data requested. To investigate the following aims, we would like to request access to clinical, cognitive, and MRI data along with baseline plasma BDNF. Aim 1. Determine the role of cardiovascular health in the relationship of BDNF and brain health. Mediation analysis will be conducted to assess the indirect effect of cardiovascular risk profile on cerebrovascular outcomes, including white matter hyperintensities, microbleeds, and infarcts. Aim 2. Determine the role of cardiovascular health in the relationship of BDNF and cognition. Mediation analysis will be conducted to assess the indirect effect of cardiovascular risk profile on cognitive outcomes, specifically episodic memory and executive functioning. Aim 3. Investigate the moderating role of BDNF on the relationship between cardiovascular function and brain and cognitive outcomes. Regression analysis will be used to test for a moderating effect of BDNF level on the relationships between cardiovascular risk and brain and cognitive outcomes.
Additional Investigators