APA Dictionary of Psychology

an ongoing longitudinal study of risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD)). Conducted since 1997 by the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, the project also explores why some people show significant AD pathology but do not experience dementia. Older participants from diverse racial, ethnic, and educational backgrounds are recruited before they exhibit memory problems. Participants agree to yearly clinical evaluations and to donate their brain, spinal cord, and muscle and nerve tissue to the center after they die. The overarching goal is to gain insight into abnormal aging so that problems with memory, mobility, and strength can be understood, treated, and ultimately prevented.