Research

The main goal of the Alber lab is to develop minimally invasive, cost-effective, accessible, point-of-care biomarkers for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, before people show symptoms and quality of life is affected. 

We are targeting biomarkers in the retina and in blood.

Current Projects

Atlas of Retinal Imaging in Alzheimer’s Study – 2 (ARIAS 2)

We will examine retinal biomarkers using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to look at structural, protein-related, and angiographic changes in the retina in older adults at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease. We will compare these changes to reference standard brain imaging biomarkers (Aβ PET, 3T MRI) and novel plasma markers that show promise for the detection of preclinical AD (ptau231, ptau181, ptau217) and validate discriminatory and accurate retinal biomarkers associated with AD risk, burden, and progression.

This study will recruit at two sites: Butler Hospital Memory & Aging Program (Dr. Alber’s lab) and Washington University at St. Louis School of Medicine (PI: Gregory Van Stavern). We will recruit 190 participants across 2 sites. This study is a collaboration between URI, Brown University, University of North Texas Health Sciences Center, and Washington University at St. Louis, with Dr. Alber leading the grant.

Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy- Retinal Sub- Study (CADASIL)

Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is the most common form of hereditary vascular dementia. CADASIL is thought to be caused by mutations of the Notch3 gene on chromosome 19. The specific biological pathway for the disease course is not yet understood but great advances are being made by researchers around the world. CADASIL is characterized by migraine headaches, multiple small strokes, episodic sensory and visual problems, apathy, depression and progressive cognitive and functional decline, resulting in dementia. As a result of these impairments, individuals with CADASIL will experience significant changes in their quality of life over the disease course. The project will enroll 180 persons with the autosomal dominant gene for Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) to investigate retinal imaging measures as potential diagnostic, prognostic, and disease monitoring biomarkers for clinical trial readiness. CADASIL is a rare disease and the most heritable monogenic form of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia. The research design will allow the examination using the full spectrum of vascular dementia from presymptomatic gene carriers through dementia. This research is novel from any other in its efforts to study a single-gene vascular dementia group throughout the life span in an effort to reduce vascular dementia heterogeneities selecting persons enriched for certain future vascular disease secondary to NOTCH3 gene mutation. CADASIL has been considered a good single-gene model of small vessel disease and vascular dementia. By improving our understanding of CADASIL and its progression, we will be better able to understand the more common sporadic vascular dementias. 

B3

This observational study is currently taking  place in the Memory and Aging Program at Butler Hospital. The study will recruit  up to 200 cognitively healthy subjects aged 50 to 80 years with and follow them for 3 years.  This study is designed to measure Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) biomarkers in the blood and retina and compare these biomarkers to amyloid and tau Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans and digital and traditional memory and thinking testing.

Previous Studies

  • Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Disease – Retinal Sub-Study (DIAN- Obs Retinal)
  • Atlas of Retinal Imaging in Alzheimer’s Study (ARIAS)
  • Building an Infrastructure and Dynamic Dataset for AD Risk Assessment
  • Using an Alzheimer’s disease blood test to predict amyloid PET in APOE E4 non-carries
  • Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease: Towards a neuromodulatory target.

Funders

  • National Institute on Aging (NIA)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
  • Advance CTR
  • Warren Alpert Foundation
  • Morton Plant Mease Foundation