# Neuropathology and Biomarkers Core

> **NIH NIH P01** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2020 · $129,645

## Abstract

NEUROPATHOLOGY & BIOMARKER CORE: Project Summary/Abstract
 Nearly all aging related neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by accumulations of protein
aggregates in selectively vulnerable regions of the CNS that define the neuropathology of each disorder,
including frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), the second most common cause of dementia in patients <65
years of age. FTD is clinically heterogeneous and different clinical subtypes do not precisely predict the
underlying neuropathology. The two major CNS signatures of neuropathologically defined FTD, referred to as
frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), are tau and TDP-43 inclusions, and these forms of FTLD are known
as FTLD-Tau and FTLD-TDP, respectively, while FUS inclusions define FLTD-FUS. Although FTLD-Tau,
FTLD-TDP and FTLD-FUS account for ~45%, ~50% and ~5% of FTLD cases, respectively, clinically atypical
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the underlying neuropathology in ~25% of FTD patients. About 25% of FTD is
familial due to MAPT mutations, while mutations in C9orf72, GRN, TARDBP and several other genes are
pathogenic for FTLD-TDP. The focus of the Neuropathology and Biomarker Core as well as of this Program
Project Grant (PPG) renewal is FTLD-Tau, especially corticobasal degeneration (CBD), progressive
supranuclear palsy (PSP) and Pick’s disease (PiD). Thus, a thorough postmortem examination of FTD patients
followed in Core B of this PPG is essential to define the FTLD subtypes underlying clinical FTD and link them
to genetic, imaging and biomarker findings as well as to begin to define strains of pathological tau associated
with different FTLD-Tau subtypes and improve the diagnosis and treatment of FTD. Further, the collection of
biofluids is essential for identifying FTD biomarkers to improve the antemortem diagnosis of FTD. Accordingly,
Core D conducts postmortem neuropathology studies on all FTD patients and controls followed in Clinical Core
B who consent to autopsy in addition to banking CNS tissue samples, plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
from FTD patients and controls while collaborating with all PPG Cores/Projects. Hence, this Neuropathology
and Biomarker Core supports the goals of this PPG in the renewal period.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9891008
- **Project number:** 5P01AG017586-20
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN Q. TROJANOWSKI
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $129,645
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9891008

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9891008, Neuropathology and Biomarkers Core (5P01AG017586-20). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9891008. Licensed CC0.

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