Dementia is a disease affecting many individuals worldwide resulting in neurological deficits. The most common form of dementia known as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. The disease is defined by neuron loss, the presence of intracellular tau protein (tubulin associated unit) neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), and extracellular amyloid- (Aβ) plaques. For this study, our aim was to understand the staging system used based off of the disease progression, called Braak Staging. Our hypothesis is that as disease progresses, marked by Braak stages, different brain regions will begin to show differential expressions of various biological dysregulations. Molecular dysfunctions of early disease will be precursors to later disease dysfunctions. The outcomes of our study indicated there were several molecular dysfunctions in early disease with tau pathology not present in the region yet.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the progressive loss of cognitive function and memory, and is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer's disease targets the brain and is associated with the accumulation of abnormal protein aggregates that disrupt neural network communication and lead to various facets of cognitive decline. Current problems in AD research originates from the inability to identify individuals that are at risk. With the limitations of patients already displaying signs of neurodegeneration, strategies for prevention are not effective. Through developing a comprehensive cognitive test that tests a range of mental abilities, data can be collected, and a longitudinal study can be proposed to track cognitive decline in a multifaceted approach over a period of time. Previous literature indicates that functional decline is present years before the manifestation of symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease. Identifying pre-diagnostic cognitive and functional changes could lead to an improved and wider selection for preventive treatment trials. By designing a comprehensive cognitive experiment, an initial data set was obtained, and trends related to time and answer response were analyzed. The scope, applications and limitations within this experimental design is discussed, and future directions are proposed.