The Apostolova lab is affiliated with the Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center, the Center for Neuroimaging, as well as other departments and school centers. Alzheimer's is something that affects over three million people in the United States per year. Longitudinal Early-Onset AD Study will recruit, characterize, and follow 400 patients with definite Early- Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (EOAD) and 100 age-matched control subjects across 19 US clinical sites. Data is collected over a period of 24 months. It is split into baseline/screening, Month 12, and Month 24. Data is collected through these time spans to ensure there is enough of it. LEADS is supported by researchers all across the United States to research the progression of Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease by using imaging, cognitive testing, and biomarker data. Through this study they will be able to fill the gap in early-onset Alzheimer’s disease research.

Alzheimer’s disease is considered to be younger-onset Alzheimer’s if it affects a person under 65. Younger-onset can also be referred to as early onset Alzheimer’s. People with younger-onset Alzheimer’s can be in the early, middle or late stage of the disease. The majority of people with younger-onset have sporadic Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of Alzheimer’s and is not attributed to genetics. Doctors do not understand why most cases of younger-onset Alzheimer's appear at such a young age. Researchers know genetics play a role in Alzheimer’s. There are risk genes, which increase the likelihood of developing a disease, but do not guarantee it will happen. And there are deterministic genes that directly cause a disease, guaranteeing that anyone who inherits them will develop the disorder.

I am very excited to be staying as an intern for LEADS at the Neuroscience center as I know this will help strengthen the skills I learned throughout the year and prove that I can apply the learned skills. I will be taking summer classes both summer terms to allow me to stay on top of my classes and my graduation plan. I am also hoping on being able to work as either a certified nursing assistant or a home health aide so that I can gain more patient care hours for when the time comes that I need to apply to PA school.

I'd like to give a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Liana Apostolova, Beenish Qureshi, Brooke Boersema, Gabriella Sblendorio, the rest of the LEADS staff, and to the LHSI program who helped and guided me through this process that has taught me how to strengthen my networking skills, learn new skills and so much more.