Project Description
The recent discovery of blood-based AD biomarkers and their validation and reliability against the gold standard PET brain imaging in detecting AD pathology, differentiating AD from non-AD dementias, and predicting cognitive decline as well as risk for dementia has revolutionized ADRD research. 34-40 However, the arduous collection of venous blood samples in older, frail adults and the complex processing and storage protocols have severely limited collection of blood in larger populations, especially those living in remote, underserved areas of Wisconsin and across the country. Using Dried blood spots (DBS) from a finger prick is a notable advancement in enhancing access to AD biomarker data in larger diverse populations living in marginalized communities or remote areas. This pilot award will be used to examine the feasibility of collecting DBS in select WLS participants living at home and compare the validity and reliability of AD biomarker results with those obtained in venous blood. The aims of this study are: (1) compare AD biomarkers from venous blood and DBS collected from 60 WLS participants at the time of their clinic-based PET imaging to determine feasibility and validity of biomarker analysis in bloodspots; (2) compare blood spots obtained from participants in clinic with those mailed later to their homes 2-4 weeks later, to understand variability in bloodspot biomarker measurements collected in non-clinical settings. Successful completion of this first-of-its-kind study involving a large, population-based, randomly selected cohort will demonstrate the feasibility and scalability of in-home DBS sample collection and validation of AD biomarker data with gold-standard PET imaging. Furthermore, results of this study will form the basis for larger NIH studies involving diverse, marginalized populations to enhance generalizability and access to novel AD diagnostics and therapeutics for underserved communities. CDHA themes: Biodemography; Demography of Dementia and Cognition.