Takashi Hanakawa, Ph.D., M.D. | Kyoto University; Nobukatsu Sawamoto, Ph.D. M.D. | Kyoto University; Hitoshi Hashimoto, Ph.D. | Osaka University
Competition Sponsor: Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
Awardee Year: 2020
Cure for dementia is yet to be available despite of the past investment and effort, prompting us to think out of the box. To test a new hypothesis about a common pathological mechanism underlying cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD), we launched a multi-center cohort study (PADNI) recruiting both healthy and cognitively impaired elderly people, and have been collecting neuroimaging, body fluids, and cognitive/clinical data. However, a critical limitation of the current dementia studies is the lack of definitive diagnosis until postmortem investigation. Therefore, we propose to develop technology bridging between neuroimaging and neuropathology. This technology is expected to allow us to investigate pathological mechanisms in both ex and in vivo and, moreover, to develop imaging methods, by which voxel values directly reflect neuropathology. The technology, when available, will enable non-invasive premortem pathological examination, allowing for early screening of dementia and precise evaluation of trial outcomes.
To learn more about this proposal email healthylongevity@nas.edu.
View this project poster, first displayed at the 2021 Global Innovator Summit.