Greater-Bay-Area Healthy Aging Brain Study (GHABS)

In order to investigate the AD-related pathologies changes and establish an effective prevention scheme for elderly adults who have AD pathologies in China's aging population, we are recruiting elderly adults age 55 and older to establish the Greater-Bay-Area Healthy Aging Brain Study(GHABS) in Shenzhen Bay Laboratory. GHABS participants will undergo clinical neuropsychological assessments, blood collection, PET and MRI imaging, and receive drug or Non-Drug AD clinical trials. The GHABS project (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06183658) aims to: 1) study the risk factors of Aβ and tau aggregation in early stages of AD among China's aging population; 2) study the effect of Aβ; and tau pathologies upon neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in both Aβ; negative (Aβ-) and Aβ positive (Aβ+) elderly adults; 3) identify novel approaches and techniques for early detection of AD and provides a reference for the target brain region and appropriate time window for anti-AD treatment.

大湾区老年脑健康计划，旨在建立AD临床前阶段的数据库，来自各个领域的专家将从神经认知、基因、血浆蛋白、大脑影像等各个技术层面解析大湾区老年人群的AD发病特点、病理特征和演化规律，开展阿尔茨海默病危险因素、早期诊断及痴呆预防研究。

我们积极呼吁大湾区的健康志愿者参与到我们的项目中，进行早期的诊断和筛查，如果您的年龄满足55-90岁之间，无重大疾病，有陪同参与检查的家属，你就可以免费参与到我们的项目中，您将获得4项专业的脑健康检查项目以及专业的随访。

若您想作为志愿者参与我们的项目，请扫下方二维码咨询或微信搜索：SZBL_GHABS

Cognitive Assessment

The cognitive assessment standard is trained by Dr. Han, Chief Physician of Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing, and included most of the scales used in clinical memory clinic, such as MoCA, MMSE, etc. Based on composite cognitive ability, daily activity ability, depression state and sleep state of the volunteers, we monitor and remind of abnormal cognitive changes. In addition to the commonly used clinical scales, we also train you to master many scales used for scientific research and encourage our member to design cognitive or behavioral tools that can be used for preclinical screening of AD, such as micro-expression judgment, grip strength, and mild behavioral impairment , etc.

Topic 1: Micro-Expressions

One of our areas of focus is micro-expressions—subtle, unconscious facial expressions that hold promise as potential indicators of neurodegenerative processes. Leveraging advanced biomedical imaging technology, we are dedicated to revealing the spatiotemporal dynamics of micro-expressions in the aging brain to support precise identification across different stages of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Concurrently, we aim to elucidate the complex associations between micro-expressions and AD biomarkers, neuroinflammation, and structural/functional neuroimaging metrics. Feel free to join us in delving into the recognition of micro-expressions in the elderly, exploring innovative pathways for the early diagnosis and intervention of AD.

Topic 2: Virtual Brain-VR cognitive assessment

We collaborated with Peking University Shenzhen Hospital to conduct a study on Virtual Brain-VR cognitive assessment. By employing eye-tracking technology and virtual reality techniques, combined with artificial intelligence algorithms and big data analysis, we aim to achieve accurate assessment of cognitive function and further predict the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) progressing to dementia. This approach is suitable for early screening of dementia.

Topic 3: Mild Behavior Impairment

One of focuses lies in Mild Behavior Impairment (MBI), a group of neuropsychiatric symptoms which occur mostly in later life and impair quality of life to both patients and their caregiver. While previous studies have highlighted the potential function of MBI as early marker for cognitive decline, the current research project focuses on the association between MBI and AD-related pathological progression based on longitudinal observations.

Fluid Biomarkers

Fluid biomarkers are an essential field for clinical AD research and are critical to early diagnosis and treatment of AD. Currently, most AD-related fluid biomarker research focuses on pathological proteins in CSF or blood, such as Aβ42/40, p-tau, NfL, GFAP, and others, which have been widely employed for the auxiliary diagnosis biomarkers of AD. In comparison to PET scanning, aberrant levels of protein markers (such as Abeta and p-tau in CSF or blood) can be earlier to reflect AD-related pathological changes in the brain, which is essential in the early diagnosis, monitoring, and tracking of AD. Additionally, fluid biomarkers are important for understanding the pathological evolution and underlying mechanism of AD, as well as providing a theoretical foundation for designing new interventions or therapy strategies.

Neuroimaging

The research group is dedicated to investigate the early pathological features and progression patterns of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Starting from clinical questions, our group aims to explore the spatiotemporal evolution of Aβ plaques and tau tangles in the cortical regions of the brain, utilizing molecular imaging techniques such as Aβ PET and tau PET. This endeavor seeks to unveil the early pathological characteristics and mechanisms underlying the onset of AD, providing valuable insights into the disease's progression.

The preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents a crucial window for intervention and therapeutic strategies. Our group is dedicated to investigate the role of early-stage AD pathology in the progression of neurodegenerative changes and cognitive decline. Neurodegenerative features can be evaluated using different imaging modalities. FDG PET assesses glucose metabolism; 3D T1-weighted structural imaging accurately evaluates cortical gray matter atrophy; Diffusion MRI (dMRI) characterizes white matter fiber tracts and integrity, and resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) assesses brain function and networks. These studies aim to reveal the impact of AD pathology on various neurodegenerative indicators in the brain, providing crucial insights for early diagnosis of AD.

Biology and neuroscience

We dedicate ourselves to clarifying the pathophysiological characterization of Alzheimer's disease (AD), specifically emphasizing the early pathological features and pathogenesis of AD. In response to scientific inquiries arising from clinical observations, we conduct further validation and molecular mechanism studies at both the animal, organoids, and cellular levels. To comprehensively outline the disease, we perform muti-omics measurement and analyze potential biomarkers and the associated mechanistic pathways. Additionally, we develop molecular imaging and bio-sensing tools for AD research. We also develop neurostimulation method for non-pharmacological intervention investigation.