The Atlas of Retinal Imaging in Alzheimer's (ARIAS) study is a 5-year study examining the natural history of retinal imaging biomarkers associated with disease risk, disease burden, and disease progression in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The objective of this project is to create a 'gold standard' reference database of structural anatomic and functional imaging of the retina, in order to enable the identification and development of both sensitive and reliable markers of AD risk and/or progression. Our ultimate goal is to develop a new screening protocol that identifies changes related to AD 10-20 years before AD is clinically visible.
This will be a longitudinal, within-participants prospective natural history study. Participants will be recruited on the basis of serial referrals to the memory disorders centers at all three investigative sites, as well as by Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved radio, social media and print advertisements. All participants will meet inclusion/exclusion criteria for one of the four (4) participant groups. All participants will be recruited into the study over a 24-month enrollment period. Once enrollment closes, participants will be followed for 3 years, with examinations at one of the four study locations at baseline, 12 months post-enrollment, 24 months post-enrollment, and 36 months post-enrollment. All exam and testing procedures are described below. All retinal imaging will be completed on an FDA-approved clinical OCT imaging system by trained study personnel (with quality assurance and participant safety managed by two Co-Principal Investigator (PI)'s and their staff). Pupillometry and contrast sensitivity vision testing will rely on FDA-approved and commercially widely available devices and standard clinical procedures. All techniques are well-known to both PI's, and these techniques have been in regular use by their clinical research and/or clinical care groups for the past 6+ years. During the screening visit a cheek swab will be obtained to determine apolipoprotein (APOE) genotype. Enrollment and group assignment will be established once the genotyping results are received (i.e., approximately 55 minutes following cheek swab, and by the end of each screening visit), at which point individuals who meet enrollment criteria will be scheduled for their baseline visit. PIs may choose to include disclosure of APOE genotyping results in their location-specific protocol, if they have the appropriate clinical resources and local IRB approval for disclosure procedures. Genotyping results will not be released to participants or their physicians except through the process of an IRB approved, site-specific protocol for disclosure. At each study visit (i.e., baseline, 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months) participants will undergo an eye examination and screening for ophthalmic disease, a medical screening exam, vital signs, neuropsychological assessment, a blood sample for measurement of plasma biomarkers, and a full retinal imaging exam. All participants will be asked to provide consent to allow review of medical records, including relevant imaging (including both clinical reports and Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) image files for computerized tomography (CT)/ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) neuroimaging) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker evidence of AD, if available. Additional clinical and experimental endpoints will include measures of gait, sleep quality, social and psychological health, and pupillometry. Assessment of sleep architecture (i.e., actigraphy measures) will be collected via wearable trackers over the course of a 2-week period following the baseline and 36-month study visits. A subset of participants, in each of the subject groups, will be asked to take an over-the-counter herbal supplement (Longvida curcumin; Verdure Sciences, Inc., www.longvida.com) for two days prior to their baseline exams.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
165
Retinal imaging will be conducted on the Heidelberg SPECTRALIS (FDA 510k cleared) device, routinely used in clinical care in ophthalmology. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Angiography (OCT-A) sequences will be conducted, as well as a sequence examining macular pigment (MPOD).
Participants will complete a task studying pupillary response to light
Participants will complete a task evaluating contrast sensitivity
Neuropsychological evaluation will be completed, including testing in domains of memory, executive function, visuospatial ability, language, processing speed. Results will be used for research purposes only.
APOE genotyping will be completed during screening to assign participants to the correct group. Results will not be shared with participants as part of the study.
Blood will be drawn and banked for proteomic, biomarker, and GWAS analysis
Gait assessment will be conducted by trained researcher
Actigraphy monitors will be worn by all participants for 2 weeks after each visit to examine physical activity, movement, and sleep patterns.
Morton Plant Hospital
Clearwater, Florida, United States
St. Anthony's Hospital
St. Petersburg, Florida, United States
University of Rhode Island
Kingston, Rhode Island, United States
Butler Hospital
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Structural retinal biomarkers assessed with OCT
retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness
Time frame: 5 years
Structural retinal biomarkers assessed with OCT
RNFL volume
Time frame: 5 years
Metabolic retinal biomarkers assessed with OCT
volume of retinal inclusion bodies containing beta amyloid
Time frame: 5 years
Metabolic retinal biomarkers assessed with OCT
surface area of retinal inclusion bodies containing beta amyloid
Time frame: 5 years
Metabolic retinal biomarkers assessed with OCT
macular pigment optical density (MPOD)
Time frame: 5 years
vascular retinal biomarkers assessed with OCT-A
vessel caliber
Time frame: 5 years
vascular retinal biomarkers assessed with OCT-A
vessel density
Time frame: 5 years
vascular retinal biomarkers assessed with OCT-A
area of foveal avascular zone
Time frame: 5 years
vascular retinal biomarkers assessed with OCT-A
fractal dimension
Time frame: 5 years
vascular retinal biomarkers assessed with OCT-A
area of blood flow
Time frame: 5 years
vascular retinal biomarkers assessed with OCT-A
area of blood non-flow
Time frame: 5 years
general cognition
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
Time frame: 5 years
general cognition
Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status - Update (RBANS-U)
Time frame: 5 years
processing speed, attention
Digit Symbol Substitution Task (DSST)
Time frame: 5 years
language
Redden Lab Speech/Language Task
Time frame: 5 years
memory
Free and Cued Selective Reminder Task (FCSRT)
Time frame: 5 years
physiological
blood proteomics - 21 protein panel
Time frame: 5 years
physiological
blood biomarkers (amyloid) measured with single molecule assay
Time frame: 5 years
physiological
blood biomarkers (phosphorylated tau) measured with single molecule assay
Time frame: 5 years
physiological
gait assessment (timed get up and go + timed get up and go dual task)
Time frame: 5 years
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