Alzheimer’s disease rarely acts alone. In most people living with dementia, multiple processes are at work in the brain simultaneously – amyloid plaques, tau tangles, vascular damage and other changes that interact in ways science is only beginning to understand. Untangling these overlapping causes is one of the greatest challenges in dementia research and it’s essential to developing more accurate diagnoses and better treatments.

A major new national study call CLARiTi is taking that challenge and the Duke UNC ADRC is a part of it.

What is CLARiTI?

CLARiTI is a multi-site observational study leveraging the well-established infrastructure of ADRCs across the country. These research centers have the expertise and resources to conduct high-quality neuroimaging studies, ensuring that data collected is reliable, standardized, and valuable to the broader scientific community.

Why CLARiTI?

Many cases of dementia involve multiple underlying causes, known as multi-etiology dementia. This complexity is often overlooked in large research studies and clinical trials. Because most studies focus on single diseases, they may miss important insights into how different types of dementia interact.

ADRCs are uniquely positioned to fill this gap. They already follow the largest cohort of individuals with multiple etiology dementia, collecting critical clinical and autopsy data. However, neuroimaging in these participants has been limited and inconsistent. CLARiTI will change that by bringing standardized imaging into the ADRC consortium, allowing researchers to better understand the biological markers of dementia.

How CLARiTI Addresses This Need

Participants in the CLARiTI study visit their closest ADRC for visits two years apart. At each visit they will receive brain scans (amyloid PET, tau PET, an MRI) and a blood draw. These imaging and blood results will be linked to each participant’s cognitive test scores, neurobehavioral assessments and genetic data. In addition, for those who choose to consent to brain donation post mortem, this information will be linked to neuropathology findings. Images, data and biospecimens collected through CLARiTI will be made available to researchers nationwide through the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC). CLARiTI is actively developing disclosure protocols for returning results to participants.

Looking Ahead

CLARiTI plans to enroll 2,000 participants across all ADRCs. It will create an unparalleled dataset linking imaging, clinical assessments, and pathology findings. This initiative not only advances dementia research today but also lays the foundation for future breakthroughs, including the further development of blood-based biomarkers that could make diagnosing ADRD easier and more accessible.

About 45 participants in the Memory & Aging study will be included in the CLARiTI study. Those participants who meet inclusion criteria may be contacted by a member of the CLARiTI study team to learn more about participating.