Statistics Core

PROJECT SUMMARY – Statistics Core The purpose of the Statistics Core (SC) is to support and advance the Clinical significance of INciDEntal white matter lEsions on MRI in a Diverse population with cognitive complaints (INDEED) by developing innovative tools for data collection and management, harmonizing data across clinical sites, developing deep learning and biomechanical neuroimaging quantification of white matter injury, performing statistical analysis for investigators, and sharing data through a research portal with internal and external investigators. The SC will undertake 5 specific aims to fulfill this purpose: 1) develop a data management system that will integrate data across the cores, provide a reporting system for tracking of study progress and describing characteristics of participants, and support a resource portal for data sharing and data interrogation; 2) provide harmonization of neuroimaging data to enable pooling of data across sites; 3) develop methods to better capture the spectrum of white matter injury and its biomechanical consequences; 4) test key hypotheses posed in the Overall section of the application; and 5) develop and validate risk scores. The SC brings together a qualified team with expertise in data management, MRI harmonization, development of imaging metrics and numerical models of biological systems, analysis of risk factors associated with cognitive decline and incident dementia, and development of risk scores to accomplish these aims. Innovations include a database capable of dynamic reporting and querying of the database, cutting-edge approaches to MRI harmonization, deep learning and multivariate approaches to better characterize white matter injury, and development of multi-modal risk scores. The SC will integrate data from the Repository Core, provide tracking information for the Recruitment and Retention Core, and serve on committees within the Administrative Core. The work of the Core will support the overall goal of predicting the impact of progressive WM injury on cognition using a precision medicine approach in a large and diverse clinical population.