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This is a research study that aims to examine whether Veterans with mild Traumatic Brain Injuries are at risk for dementia by studying their memory, brain wave activity, brain structure and proteins that can be elevated after brain injury and in dementia.
This project will test the hypotheses that people with 5-HT RBD have systemic alpha- synuclein pathology, prodromal DLB signs, and brainstem lesions in regions that control REM sleep. AIM 1 will seek to detect abnormally phosphorylated alpha- synuclein aggregates on targeted skin biopsy in a cohort of people with 5-HT RBD and matched controls (taking SSRIs but without RBD). Aim 2 will use ultra-high field MRI at 7T to examine the pontine region of the coeruleus/subcoeruleus complex for evidence of neurodegeneration as well as segment and parcellate REM sleep related neuronal structures. Aim 3 will test for speech deficits. While these aims are independent we suspect that the severity of autonomic, speech and cognitive deficits will correlate with loss of neuromelanin signal on MRI and pathology on skin biopsy. The investigation is a longitudinal designed study to examine histopathology, neuroimaging changes and speech function from baseline (Time 1) to a follow-up after 30 months (Time 2). A total of 60 individuals, 30 with 5-HT RBD and 30 controls, will be recruited at Time 1, brought back at Time 2, and tested across all Aims at both study visits.
The purpose of this research study is to investigate how the brain, memory, thinking, and motor behavior change both in individuals with movement and/or cognitive disorders, as well as healthy individuals. Researchers will look at measurements of memory, thinking, brain wave and muscle activity, daily functioning, and brain scans to learn more about brain disorders such as Alzheimer disease and Lewy body disease.
The purpose of this research study is to understand the factors that underlie changes in thinking and memory with increasing age. The investigators will test the usefulness of MRI, PET, and cognitive testing in detecting subtle changes in the brain that precede cognitive decline. An addendum to this study includes additional PET scans to examine the relationship between tau protein in the brain and cognitive decline. Tau is a protein that is known to form tangles in the areas of the brain important for memory, and these tau tangles are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. This sub-study research aims to look at the tau accumulation in the brain using an investigational drug called MK-6240, which is a radio tracer that gets injected prior to a positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
The purpose of this study is to learn more about Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation (NBIA) Disorders. Data is being collected on three types of NBIA disorders: Pantothenate Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration (PKAN), PLA2G6-associated Neurodegeneration (PLAN) and Beta-propeller Protein-associated Neurodegeneration (BPAN). The study will (1) collect information about how symptoms and findings in NBIA change over time and (2) identify measures of NBIA that can be used in future clinical trials. Participants will follow links to a secure website every 6 months for a period of 5-10 years to electronically complete a set of rating scales as related to their NBIA disorder.
Veterans with mid to later stage Parkinson's disease (PD) may not be able to work out as hard as they need to, to prevent brain cell loss. Maybe they could work out longer and more frequently to make up for this during their good times and good weeks and then rest during the bad weeks. The investigators will compare how effective working out a lot one week per month with a break of three weeks is to continuously exercising weekly with no breaks in people with mid stage PD. The investigators will look at how fast participants walk per minute, whether they become more physically active, the biochemicals in their blood, and at how stiff their blood vessels are before and after the exercise.
The primary goal of this study is to investigate inflammation and white matter damage in corticobasal syndrome and determine whether these processes are related to each other. The investigator's will address our goal by using neuroimaging and blood plasma biomarkers, as well as molecular pathology.
Background: Immune system and nervous system have significant interaction so that People with immunity diseases can have complications that affect the nervous system and people with some neurological disease may have defects in their immune system.These complications can affect many body functions, including how they move, walk, think, and feel. Researchers do not fully understand how immune diseases affect the nervous system. By learning more, they hope to create more effective treatments. Objective: To learn more about the interaction between immune and nervous system and how immunity disease affect the nervous system. Eligibility: People aged 2 years and older with an immunity disease. Their healthy biological relatives and other healthy volunteers are also needed. Design: Participants will be screened. Blood will be drawn for research. They may have imaging scans. Adults may undergo lumbar puncture: A needle will be inserted into their back to collect fluid from the space around the spinal cord. The imaging scans and lumbar puncture will be optional for healthy relatives and volunteers. All participants will have 1 study visit per year for 5 years. They will be asked to donate samples of body fluids at each visit. Blood samples are required for the study. All other donations are optional. These may include saliva, urine, breast milk, stool, vaginal secretions, and wound drainage. Affected participants may be asked for a skin biopsy: A small sample of skin will be removed. They may also be photographed or videotaped to record the symptoms of their disease. Tests for each study visit may be spread over several days, if needed. Visits may be at the clinic. Participants may also collect their own samples at home and send them to the researchers....
The goal of this study is to objectively test one's sense of smell, called olfaction, in participants with Subjective Cognitive Concerns (SCC), Mild Cognitive Impairment, Mild Behavioral Impairment (MBI), and age-matched controls. The main question it aims to answer is whether the AROMHA Brain Health Test could serve as a predictive biomarker of neurodegenerative disorders. This understanding will aid in the development of a noninvasive, cost-effective diagnostic tool that reliably and specifically distinguishes disease and normal aging populations. Participants will take the approximately 45-minute AROMHA Brain Health Smell Test where they will peel and sniff labels on the physical smell cards and answer questions on the web-based app relating to what they smelled. Participants will undergo tests for odor intensity, odor identification, odor discrimination, and episodic olfactory memory, but will not be provided the results of these tests.
This is an observational study to better understand the risk factors and progression of CADASIL, a leading cause of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). 575 participants will be enrolled and can expect to be on study for up to 5 years.