PROJECT SUMMARY – IMAGING CORE (F) The UCSF ADRC Neuroimaging Core (Imaging Core) is a critical component of the center’s efforts to advance early and accurate diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease. Through the use of MRI- and PET-based imaging, we have helped to define the imaging abnormalities that characterize atypical and early age of onset neurodegenerative disorders, in particular FTD and early-onset AD, and to establish the central role for imaging in diagnosis of rapidly progressive dementias (RPDs). We have pioneered the use of new MRI techniques, and new PET ligands, in FTD and AD as they have emerged, and done extensive work correlating these techniques with other biomarkers, genetics, and neuropathology. Imaging is also a critical component of programs at our center that combine measures of functional, anatomical, and molecular change with neuroscience-based assessments to understand changes in language, social-emotional function, visuospatial, executive function, and other impairments caused by neurodegenerative disease. We have been enthusiastic contributors to national efforts, including the Standardized Centralized Alzheimer’s and Related Neuroimaging (SCAN) project, and led national and international efforts to characterize atypical neurodegenerative diseases, including FTD, atypical and early onset AD, while developing new collaborations to study traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES). For the upcoming cycle, the Imaging Core will continue to support our ADRC by coordinating acquisition, archiving, and processing of 3T structural and functional MRI, and amyloid, tau, and FDG PET images, making these images accessible to local and national ADRC investigators, and providing imaging based amyloid, tau and neurodegeneration (AT(N)) staging data for select clinical populations. We will purse the following aims: Aim 1: Collection, archiving, and quality control (QC) of MRI and PET images in ADRC participants, including: MP-RAGE, FLAIR, T2-weighted, diffusion, ASL perfusion, ICN-fMRI, and amyloid, tau and FDG PET scans. We will upload MRI and PET imaging datasets to the SCAN project. Aim 2: Development and implementation of standard and innovative analytic tools to characterize disease related changes in brain volume, white matter microstructure, white matter signal hyperintensity, ICN-fMRI-based connectivity, cerebral perfusion, and PET ligand binding. Aim 3: Provide AT(N) staging information for ADRC participants who undergo amyloid and tau PET to the Clinical Core for participant feedback, and to the Data Management and Statistics Core for analysis. We will use funds allocated for MRI and PET to focus on AT(N) characterization of Chinese and Latino American participants recruited via the Outreach Recruitment and Engagement Core, and patients with atypical clinical presentations of AD. Aim 4: Support research training by working with the Research Education Component (REC) to teach principles of image acquisition and analysis, and c...