The Clinical Core supports the mission of the New Mexico Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center by building and maintaining a long‑term, community‑based cohort to advance dementia research. The Core focuses on understanding early disease mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease and vascular cognitive impairment and dementia, and on developing and validating imaging‑ and fluid‑based biomarkers in diverse populations. As a newly established center, recruitment will prioritize individuals with early biomarker evidence of Alzheimer’s disease, those at high risk for vascular cognitive impairment, and cognitively healthy volunteers, all followed over time to better understand disease progression.
To promote equitable and inclusive research, the Clinical Core will recruit American Indian, Hispanic/Latino, and non‑Hispanic White participants in equal proportions. This balanced cohort will support studies of early inflammation, neurovascular dysfunction, and dementia disparities across populations. Assessments will also include sociocultural factors—such as bilingualism, educational quality, health literacy, and access to care—that influence cognitive testing and shape risk and resilience, particularly in American Indian and Hispanic/Latino communities.
The Clinical Core will develop culturally responsive approaches to participant communication and return of results. By assessing participant preferences and evaluating communication strategies, the Core will create feedback processes that are respectful, understandable, and accessible across a wide range of literacy levels, supporting long‑term brain health and sustained study participation.
Working closely with the Imaging and Biomarker Cores, the Clinical Core will support multimodal imaging, biospecimen collection, and comprehensive clinical assessments. In partnership with the Research Education Component, the Core will also help train the next generation of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias researchers, with an emphasis on supporting individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Together, these efforts aim to reduce health disparities, strengthen community resilience, and promote healthy aging across New Mexico’s diverse communities.
Aim 1: Recruit and retain a diverse, community‑based cohort across the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) spectrum, along with age‑matched healthy controls.
Working closely with the Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement (ORE) Core, we will prioritize enrolling individuals with early biomarker evidence of AD or elevated risk for VCID. To ensure equitable representation, we will recruit American Indian (AI), Hispanic/Latino (H/L), and non‑Hispanic White participants in equal proportions. Participants will complete all required NACC UDS‑4 assessments, along with measures unique to our center.
Aim 2: Share clinical data, biospecimens, imaging, and expertise to advance local and national research efforts.
In collaboration with the Neuropathology, Imaging, and Fluid Biomarker Cores, we will support studies of preclinical AD and vascular injury by validating MRI‑ and blood‑based biomarkers in AI and H/L populations. We will also examine early inflammation and neurovascular dysfunction using human and animal models and apply MarkVCID consortium biomarkers to better understand cerebrovascular injury and blood–brain barrier disruption.
Aim 3: Incorporate sociocultural factors that influence cognitive testing and brain health, such as bilingualism, educational quality, health literacy, and access to care.
These measures will help clarify risk and resilience factors, particularly within AI and H/L communities in New Mexico.
Aim 4: Enhance how research findings are shared with participants by using culturally responsive communication, assessing interest in receiving results, and evaluating the effectiveness of feedback.
This work will help identify best practices for clear, meaningful communication that supports long‑term brain health across a wide range of health literacy levels.
Aim 5: Support training and mentorship for diverse Alzheimer’s disease–related dementias (ADRD) researchers and clinicians in partnership with the Research Education Component (REC).
The Clinical Core will provide hands‑on research training, access to clinical data, mentorship in developing research questions, and opportunities in assessment and diagnosis to support the New Mexico LEADING Excellence in ADRD Education and Research (NM‑LEADER) initiative.
