Newswise — Florida Atlantic University Researcher Betty Tuller, Ph.D., professor of complex systems and brain sciences and professor of psychology and biomedical sciences at FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, was recently awarded one of only16 grants funded by the Johnnie B. Byrd, Sr. Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health designated Florida's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (FADRC). The $95,000 grant will be used to study the relationship between the changes in brain structure and the deterioration of cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Together with Jeanna Winchester, a graduate student in the doctoral program in complex systems and brain sciences, Dr. Tuller will explore whether the early stages of AD can be better diagnosed and characterized by understanding the relationship between brain glucose metabolism and the presence of ?-amyloid plaque formations (clumps of protein fragments that accumulate outside of the brain's nerve cells) and their impact on cognitive function. This research will use a novel method of positron emission tomography (PET) neuroimaging, whereby two tracers are used simultaneously in order to measure both glucose metabolism and the accumulation of ?-amyloid plaque in the brain. Tuller's research team will be able to observe and determine the correlation between progressive deterioration of glucose utilization, the accumulation of ?-amyloid plaque formation, and semantic memory impairment in mild to moderate cases of AD. Imaging is currently the most promising tool for the early diagnosis and monitoring of AD.
Tuller's peer-reviewed research is also linked to other work that she and her team have conducted, examining cognitive impairments in diabetes. "We will also be looking at the similarity demonstrated between the progression of AD and diabetes mellitus, both in memory impairments and the regions of the brain that are affected," said Tuller. An earlier study in 2004 conducted by researchers in Chicago, Illinois and supported by the National Institute on Aging and the National Institutes of Health showed that diabetes mellitus was linked to a 65 percent increased risk of developing AD. "This finding adds to the developing body of research examining a possible link between diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline," said Tuller. "Understanding the mechanisms responsible for this link would have huge implications for our understanding of both diseases."
"The funding that Dr. Tuller has received to support her work with AD is truly a reflection of the caliber of researchers affiliated with Florida Atlantic University," said Dr. Larry F. Lemanski, FAU's vice president for research. "Her research in this area will have a major impact on the millions of Americans who have AD and on their caregivers."
According to the National Institute on Aging and The Alzheimer's Association, it is estimated that 4.5 million Americans have AD, and the current direct and indirect costs of their care are at least $100 billion annually. AD is a progressive neurogenerative disease characterized by abnormal clumps (amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (neurofibrillary tangles) composed of misplaced proteins. Age is the most important risk factor for AD and symptoms include memory loss, inability to communicate and learn, poor judgment, confusion, restlessness and mood swings. Eventually, AD destroys cognition, personality and the ability to carry out day-to-day activities. There is currently no cure for AD and no way to stop the progression of the disease.
Florida Atlantic University is the lead institution for this study and collaborators include the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Washington and the University of South Florida.
Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the university serves 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching and research university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts eight colleges - the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, and the Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs.
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