Amyloid Plaque and Tangle Imaging in Aging and Dementia

Inclusion Criteria:

• Agreement to participate in a clinical and brain imaging study

• Age 30 years or older

• No significant cerebrovascular disease - modified Ischemic Score of ≤ 4

• For volunteers with MCI or dementia, there must be a family member or potentialcaregiver available

• Adequate visual and auditory acuity to allow neuropsychological testing

• Screening laboratory tests and ECG without significant abnormalities that mightinterfere with the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Evidence of neurologic or other physical illness that could produce cognitivedeterioration; in addition to a physical and neurological examination, volunteers willbe screened for Parkinson's disease

• History of myocardial infarction within the previous year or unstable cardiac disease

• Uncontrolled hypertension (systolic BP>170 or diastolic BP>100), history ofsignificant liver disease, clinically significant pulmonary disease, diabetes, orcancer

• Major psychiatric disorders, such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia

• Because medications can affect cognitive functioning, volunteers needing medicinesthat could influence psychometric test results will be excluded; use of any of thefollowing drugs will also exclude volunteers: centrally active beta-blockers,narcotics, clonidine, anti-Parkinsonian medications, benzodiazepines, systemiccorticosteroids, and medications with significant cholinergic or anticholinergiceffects, anti-convulsants, or warfarin

• Current diagnosis or history of alcoholism or drug dependence

• Evidence of untreated depression as determined by a HAM-D (Hamilton, 1960) score of ≥ 12 (17-item version) or untreated anxiety by a score of ≥ 8 on the Hamilton AnxietyScale (HAM-A; Hamilton, 1959)

• Use of any investigational drugs within the previous month or longer, depending ondrug half-life

• Contraindication for MRI scan (e.g., metal in body, claustrophobia)