Antecedent biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease: the adult children study.

The Washington University Adult Children Study is a longitudinal study to develop and validate biological markers, imaging features, and other indicators of preclinical Alzheimer's disease to aid in identifying individuals at high risk for developing symptomatic Alzheimer's disease. Two groups of participants between the ages of 45 and 74 are being enrolled in the Adult Children Study. Group 1 represents adult children who have at least 1 parent with Alzheimer's disease. Group 2 represents adult children whose parents have lived at least to age 70 without dementia. The Adult Children Study participants have been highly motivated to participate, and this study will require the investment of many years from the participants and the investigators before its most significant results will be known.