This study aims to advance the understanding of gray and white matter neurodegeneration linked with vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) by developing novel post-mortem MRI protocols and computational tools for multi-modal, multi-scale analysis of brain MRI, histopathology, and proteomics.

MRI and histopathology can provide insights into disease mechanisms and uncover therapeutic implications in age-related cognitive impairment and dementia. In this project we are working to standardize MRI and histology protocols, introduce novel tools for postmortem analysis, and provide extensive imaging and biomaterial resources to drive progress in research on VCID in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-related dementia (ADRD).

In particular, we are pursuing four aims:

• First, to support integrated MRI and histopathological analysis of AD and ADRD by establishing a postmortem pipeline for brain autopsy, fixation, and sectioning. 
• Second, to create a multi-modality atlas of the medial temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex with a focus on amyloid-beta-peptide, tau-protein, vascular, and microstructural pathology. The atlas will integrate MRI and pathology data collected by NYU Langone’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center from people with AD, ADRD, and traumatic brain injury.
• Third, to advance the understanding of white matter hyperintensities and small vessel disease through high-resolution voxel-wise mapping of postmortem MRI and histopathology.
• Last, to develop shared digital libraries of imaging and pathology protocols; software; brain atlases; and data from 75 elderly brains.