# Core B:  Clinical Core

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2020 · $709,995

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY – Clinical Core
The Clinical Core (CC) supports and promotes research that advances the ADC's goal of understanding the
complex determinants of cognitive impairment and dementia in diverse older adults. The Core recruits and
maintains a large (410 active case) longitudinal cohort (LC) that is ethnoracially and demographically diverse,
that has been followed longitudinally for many years, and that is richly characterized with measures that
include sophisticated neuropsychological tests and state-of-the-art neuroimaging. This cohort supports multiple
R01s and has provided the basis for over 200 papers. The features of the cohort are closely linked to the four
scientific themes of the ADC. In accordance with our interest in studying preclinical disease and diagnostic
transitions (Theme 1), most cohort participants (60%) were enrolled when cognitively normal and 31% of the
overall cohort has transitioned to a more impaired diagnostic status. Cognitive decline, even in the cognitively
normal, has been readily measurable. Thus, the LC provides an excellent resource for studies of change and
trajectory. Due to community recruitment, the LC is highly diverse (>40% Hispanic or African American, >20%
with under 12 yrs. education) and provides excellent heterogeneity in lifecourse factors that may influence
cognitive reserve and resiliancy (Theme 2). The cohort has representative prevalences of the common
vascular risk factors and most cases have multiple pathologies at autopsy, providing a valuble resource for
studying mixed pathology (Theme 3). The CC works closely with the OR Core on recruitment and retention of
the LC. The CC consents, evaluates participants annually, and obtains autopsy pre-consents. The CC
supports recruitment for funded research projects, including ADC pilot studies. The CC maintains a Clinical
Trials Unit that conducts industry and academic sponsored treatment trials. The CC provides reliable and valid
diagnoses. It provides a broad set of measures, extending well beyond the UDS, which are collected on a
standardized schedule and selected to support the scientific themes. It collaborates with the Neuropathology
Core to obtain DNA, serum and plasma samples (supporting Theme 4 on Biomarkers), facilitate brain
procurement/autopsy, and to present monthly Clinical Pathological Conferences. The CC coordinates with the
Neuroimaging Core to obtain serial structural MRI/resting state fMRI, and molecular imaging PET studies. The
CC works closely with the Administrative Core to plan subject recruitment and data collection protocols; with
Data/Biostatistics to promptly transfer CC data into the database and maintain quality control; and with REC to
educate/mentor AD researchers. RELEVANCE: The CC supports many research projects relevant to advances
in the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of dementia. The CC aims to advance our understanding of
how various risk and protective factors affect cognitive trajectories across ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9978576
- **Project number:** 5P30AG010129-30
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** John M Olichney
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $709,995
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9978576

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9978576, Core B:  Clinical Core (5P30AG010129-30). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9978576. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*