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. 2016 Mar 3;2(2):82-92.
doi: 10.1016/j.trci.2016.02.003. eCollection 2016 Jun.

The ALFA project: A research platform to identify early pathophysiological features of Alzheimer's disease

José Luis Molinuevo  1 , Nina Gramunt  1 , Juan Domingo Gispert  1 , Karine Fauria  1 , Manel Esteller  2   3   4 , Carolina Minguillon  1 , Gonzalo Sánchez-Benavides  1 , Gema Huesa  1 , Sebastián Morán  2   3 , Rafael Dal-Ré  1 , Jordi Camí  5   6
Affiliations

The ALFA project: A research platform to identify early pathophysiological features of Alzheimer's disease

José Luis Molinuevo et al. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). .

Abstract

Introduction: The preclinical phase of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is optimal for identifying early pathophysiological events and developing prevention programs, which are shared aims of the ALFA project, including the ALFA registry and parent cohort and the nested ALFA+ cohort study.

Methods: The ALFA parent cohort baseline visit included full cognitive evaluation, lifestyle habits questionnaires, DNA extraction, and MRI. The nested ALFA+ study adds wet and imaging biomarkers for deeper phenotyping.

Results: A total of 2743 participants aged 45 to 74 years were included in the ALFA parent cohort. We show that this cohort, mostly composed of cognitively normal offspring of AD patients, is enriched for AD genetic risk factors.

Discussion: The ALFA project represents a valuable infrastructure that will leverage with different studies and trials to prevent AD. The longitudinal ALFA+ cohort will serve to untangle the natural history of the disease and to model the preclinical stages to develop successful trials.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Biomarkers; Cognition; Cohort studies; Dementia; Prevention; Risk factors.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic representation of the ALFA parent cohort baseline visit and screening process. (A) Regardless of their eligibility to enter or not the ALFA parent cohort, all subjects assessed received a specific report on the screening results. (B) Cognitive eligibility was assessed by the administration of the cognitive screening tests (MMSE, MIS, TO-BTII, and SF). The Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to screen for mood disorders.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Nonmodifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD). (A) Schematic representation of the ALFA study participants' parental history of AD before the age of 75 years. Percentage of APOE genotypes in the ALFA parent cohort population (C) compared to the control (B).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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