The fastest growing demographic at risk of, and suffering from dementia, is the oldest-old, persons over age 80or 90 years. By 2030, 1 in 2 incident cases of Alzheimer dementia (AD) will likely occur in this age group. Theunderlying biology and the impact of vascular and lifestyle risk factors on risk of dementia appear to bedifferent in the young-old and oldest-old.

Translating information on genetic risk for body weight regulation into molecular mechanisms can have asignificant impact on intervention and therapies. We are seeking to identify genetic variation and theirmolecular mechanisms that influences obesity through direct effects on the hypothalamus as it is the brain hubthat regulates energy homeostasis and there is now considerable evidence for genetic influence to impact thisbrain region.

Cerebral Small Vessel Disease (SVD) is an important, potentially modifiable factor for clinical dementia. Recent data suggest that the age-specific incidence of dementia may be decreasing, partly as a result of bettermanagement of vascular risk factors, lending urgency to dementia prevention trials but a major impediment isthe absence of circulating biomarkers for tracking onset and progression of SVD.

The primary objective of this study is to validate a new set of guidelines for a device that uses light to measure the regional hemoglobin oxygen saturation of blood underneath the sensor of injured and non-injured legs and forearms in specific situations. The name of this technology is NIRS (near-infrared spectroscopy).

Neural stem cell/progenitors cells give rise to mature neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytesthroughout life. However, neurogenesis rapidly declines during aging and the mechanism forage-dependent neural stem cell dysfunction is not clear. The ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ), lining the lateral ventricle, is home to the largest pool of neural stem cells in the murinebrain. We have found that microglia, the innate immune cells of the brain, are prominentlypositioned throughout the young and aged V-SVZ niche.

The fastest growing demographic at risk of, and suffering from dementia, is the oldest-old, persons over age 80or 90 years. By 2030, 1 in 2 incident cases of Alzheimer dementia (AD) will likely occur in this age group. Theunderlying biology and the impact of vascular and lifestyle risk factors on risk of dementia appear to bedifferent in the young-old and oldest-old.