PROJECT SUMMARY – NEUROIMAGING CORE (NIC) The Neuroimaging Core (NIC) supports the overall goals of New Mexico Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (NM ADRC) by providing advanced imaging and data analysis techniques to understand vascular and inflammatory contributions to Alzheimer’s disease and progressive cerebrovascular disease in New Mexico, which includes underrepresented groups consisting of American Indians (AI) and Hispanic/Latino (H/L) populations. At the same time, the neuroimaging goals outlined by the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) will be met. In collaboration with the Clinical Core and the Data Management and Statistics Core (DMSC), we will develop susceptibility/risk and disease progression biomarkers for vascular contributions to ADRD. The NIC also will provide anti-mortem, post-mortem, and fixed brain MRI images to the Neuropathology Core to compare with histopathology results. The NIC will collaborate with the Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core to educate and train researchers in advanced MRI imaging and analysis methods, and offer community-based lectures on benefits of neuroimaging. Our Specific Aims are: Aim 1: Support the NM ADRC with advanced imaging techniques and meet neuroimaging goals of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act 1.1: In addition to the standard Standardized Centralized Alzheimer’s & Related Dementias Neuroimaging (SCAN) MRI protocol, we will provide access to new and advanced MRI techniques. These include methods for measuring blood-brain barrier permeability, quantitative MRI methods for T1 and T2 measurement, and CVR measurement. 1.2: Scan rural NM American Indian and Hispanic populations using a 1.5T mobile MRI scanner. 1.3: Initiate a PET program for amyloid and tau imaging in collaboration with the UNM Department of Radiology. 1.4: Relate fixed brain images to ante-mortem and post-mortem scans for comparison to histopathology. Aim 2: Develop composite markers to differentiate AD and mixed dementias using MRI, fluid, and neuropathology data. We will assess CVR as a biomarker in AD and mixed dementias, contrasting it with other MRI metrics of vascular damage. We will model composite predictors that differentially detect early AD and mixed dementias. Aim 3: Train early-stage faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate/medical students in neuroimaging techniques in ADRD. Leveraging the unique and diverse NM population, the NIC will satisfy the NIA ADRC program goals, integrate dementia-related studies at University of New Mexico under one umbrella, and provide the NM population with access to state-of-the-art neuroimaging tools for ADRD diagnosis and prognosis.