Interactions between TBI and APOE status related to the risk, onset, and
presentation of dementia 
   Lead Investigator:    Claire Alexander
   Institution      :    Ohio University
   E-Mail           :    ca630517@ohio.edu
   Proposal ID      :    1146



   Proposal Description:
   The proposed project will use the NACC dataset to analyze the relationship between TBI and dementia. Specifically, this analysis will examine the effect of severity of TBI and genetic variation of APOE on the onset and presentation of dementia. Prior studies using this dataset have looked at presence of TBI, but have not compared severity within a single study. Other studies have also examined APOE status but only as a covariate. This research will help elucidate the connection between genetic and environmental risk factors for dementia and determine whether these factors impact the manifestation of cognitive decline.    Aim 1. Examine the risk and timing of dementia onset in TBI and non-TBI groups, separating TBI groups by severity.    Aim 2. Examine the differences in presentation of dementia in TBI and non-TBI groups, by analyzing neuropsychological test results and psychiatric symptoms.    Aim 3. Examine the likely interactions between APOE, TBI, onset of dementia, and presentation of dementia.      Thesis proposal:    Dementia is a highly prevalent disorder among older adults, with severe impairment and a high  individual and societal cost as cognitive decline progresses. Affected individuals experience  cognitive and functional impairment and require increasingly intensive care as the disease  continues. Accurate assessment of risk factors could help prevent future cases of dementia, in the  case of environmental risk factors, or allow individuals and families to plan for future care.  Previous studies have investigated the predictive value of certain risk factors, including traumatic  brain injury (TBI) and Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genetic status, with somewhat mixed findings.  Specifically, some research has found that TBI can increase risk and lower age of onset for  dementia, but the specifics of these findings are inconsistent across studies. Few studies have  examined possible interactions between TBI history and APOE status. The current study will  inves