<pre><FONT COLOR = BLACK>
<B>Substance abuse and the aging brain
 </B>
   Lead Investigator:    Justin Barber
   Institution      :    University of Kentucky
   E-Mail           :    justin.barber@uky.edu
   Proposal ID      :    1286
</FONT>
<BR>
   Proposal Description:
   <textarea name="description" rows="12" cols="85" wrap="virtual" readonly>This is an exploration of the relationship between past psychoactive drug abuse (other than ethanol) and the aging brain. The matter is relevant given that current older adults were young adults during the late 1960s and early 1970s, and in middle adulthood during the 1980s. Recreational use of marijuana, barbiturates, and hallucinogens markedly increased during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Recreational use of MDMA (which was legal until early 1980s) and notably cocaine were popular during the 1980s. For both clinical and research purposes, it is necessary to understand if and how psychoactive drug abuse can manifest neuropsychologically and neuropathophysiologically in older adulthood. This is a pilot study. The results will inform further studies past drug abuse and the aging brain. The results have implications in clinical trial recruitment because recreational marijuana use is increasingly legal but often prohibited in investigational drug studies. The results also have implications in care delivery.     Aim 1   1. Identify all participants in NACC database with variable ABUSOTHER = 2 at baseline visit   a. Identify 1-2 matched participants without drug or alcohol abuse history (using propensity score matching on age, sex, education, maybe diagnosis) and compare medical history and neuropsych test scores   i. Might have do this within clinic diagnosis normal, impaired, demented   ii. If possible, try to separate those with [ABUSOTHER = 2 and ALCOHOL = 1 or 2] from those with [ABUSOTHER = 2 and ALCOHOL = 0]     Aim 2   2. Identify all participants in NACC database with variable ABUSOTHER = 2 at baseline visit, who also have autopsy data.   a. Review autopsy findings and last ante mortem neuropsych scores compared to participants matched on age, sex, education, and final clinical diagnosis </textarea>