CADRO

CADRO is a three-tiered classification system developed by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association to organize and compare basic, translational and clinical AD/ADRD research projects across multiple funding organizations using common terminology.

Common Alzheimer's and Related Dementias Research Ontology (CADRO)

This category includes research focused on the molecular and physiological processes underlying Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (ADRD) pathogenesis and their genetic and epigenetic determinants.

  1. Amyloid beta
    • APP Structure and Function
    • APP Processing
    • APP and Amyloid beta Signaling
    • Secretases
    • Amyloid beta Clearance
    • Amyloid beta Structure, Assembly, and Aggregation
    • Amyloid beta-Mediated Pathogenesis
  2. Tau
    • Normal Functions of Tau
    • Tau Phosphorylation, Metabolism, and Assembly
    • Tau-Mediated Pathogenesis (AD and ADRD)
  3. Presenilin Biology
    • Structure-Function Analysis
    • Calcium Signaling
  4. ApoE and Lipid Neurobiology
    • ApoE in Abeta-Mediated Pathogenesis
    • ApoE in Pathogenesis Independent of Abeta
    • ApoE Structure and Function
    • Brain Lipid Metabolism
    • Lipid-Mediated Signaling
    • Lipoprotein Receptors
    • Nuclear Receptors
    • Myelin
  5. Other Proteinopathies
    • Alpha-Synuclein
    • TDP-43 and FUS
    • C9ORF-72 and Progranulin
    • Prions
    • Other 
  6. Autophagy, Endocytosis and Membrane Trafficking
    • Proteostasis
    • Exosome (ie. extracellular vesicles)
    • Endosomal/Lysosomal Dysfunction
  7. Circuits and Synapses
    • Synaptic Plasticity and Synaptic Dysfunction
    • Selective Vulnerability
    • Neurotransmitter Receptors Structure and Function
    • Network Function and Failure
    • Neurogenesis
  8. Cell Death
    • Apoptosis
    • Oxidative Stress
    • Autophagy-Mediated Cell Death
    • Calcium-Mediated Cell Death
    • Cell Cycle Re-Entry
    • Ubiquitin Protease System
    • Presenilin-Mediated Cell Death
  9. Immunity and Inflammation
    • Astrocyte mediated
    • Microglia mediated
    • Innate Immunity
    • Immunotherapy – Mechanisms of Action
    • Calcium-Related Inflammation Mediators
    • Complement Mediators of Inflammation
    • Role of Chemokines / Cytokines
    • Other
  10. Metabolism and Bioenergetics
    • Mitochondrial Bioenergetics
    • Insulin Resistance and Type II Diabetes
    • Dyslipidemia
    • Obesity
    • Metabolic Syndrome
    • CNS Glucose
  11. Vascular Etiology
    • Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular dysfunction
    • BBB and Neurovascular Unit
    • Hypertension
    • Atherosclerosis
    • Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy
    • Lymphatic/Glymphatic System Dysfunction
  12. Neuroendocrine Mechanisms
    • Sex Hormones
    • Growth Hormones
    • Stress Hormones/HPA Axis
  13. Molecular Mechanisms of Neuroprotection and Resilience
  14. Gut-Brain Axis and Microbiome
  15. Sleep and Circadian Rhythm
  16. Environmental Factors
    • Chemical pollutants
    • Metal pollutants
    • Air pollutants
    • Psychosocial Factors
    • Other 
  17. Genetics
    • Genome-Wide Association Studies and imputation analysis
    • Next generation Sequencing (i.e. WGS, Whole Exome)
    • Genetic Architecture (Genetic variation and Chromosome Structure)
    • Gene-Gene and Gene Environment Interactions
    • Nucleic acid-related “omics” studies (Epigenetics and Epigenomic and Transcriptomics, Expression Profiling)
    • Gene Editing
    • Disease Pathway Identification (gene cluster and network analysis)
    • Genetic Data Sharing and Analysis
    • Functional Validation of Genetic Risk and Protective Factors
  18. Other Pathogenic Mechanisms

This category includes research focused on the discovery, development, testing and validation (including through Autopsy) of tools and methods for diagnosing and monitoring individuals with AD and ADRDs from the preclinical phase of the disease through advanced dementia, including post-mortem analyses. These methods and tools include all types of novel and established biomarkers.

  1. Fluid Biomarkers
    • CSF Biomarkers
    • Blood-based Biomarkers
    • Urine Biomarkers
    • Saliva-based Biomarkers
    • Multi-fluid Biomarkers
  2. Imaging Biomarkers
    • PET Amyloid Imaging
    • PET Tau Imaging
    • PET Other Imaging
    • Functional MRI
    • Structural MRI
    • Diffusion Tensor Imaging 
    • Retinal Imaging
    • SPECT
    • MR Microscopy
    • Multiple Imaging 
    • Other Imaging Modalities
  3. Traditional assessments (including cognitive, behavioral, functional reflecting changes in affective, social, decision-making, language/ speech, sensory and motor functions)
  4. Personal assessments (using wearable and mobile technology including cognitive, behavioral, functional reflecting changes in affective, social, decision-making, language/ speech, sensory and motor functions)
  5. Re-Purposed Biomarkers
    • Cardiovascular
    • Hormonal
    • Genetic (Micro-RNAs)
    • White Matter Lesions/Damage
    • Other
  6. Emerging Biomarkers
    • Genomic
    • Proteomic
    • Metabolomic
    • Multi-omics
    • Other 
  7. Multimodal Biomarkers
  8. Novel Analyses, Methodologies and Techniques for Biomarker Discovery and Validation
  9. Other

This category aims to capture projects focused on the identification, validation and development of potential targets (including small molecule, natural products, and biologics) for AD and ADRDs from early therapeutic discovery through late stage preclinical development and all stages of clinical testing. Also, included are projects focused on repurposing pharmacological agents already in use for other conditions as well as non-pharmacological interventions.

  1. Research Resources and Enabling Technologies to Accelerate Therapy Development
    • Enabling Technologies (ex. iPS cells)
    • Translational Bioinformatics and Multi-scale Modeling (ex. Drug repurposing)
    • Translational Infrastructure (ex. Model AD, ACTC)
  2. Identification and Validation of Novel Targets
  3. Drug Discovery (small molecules and biologics), including assay development
    • Amyloid beta
    • Tau
    • ApoE, Lipids and Lipoprotein Receptors
    • Neurotransmitter Receptors
    • Neurogenesis
    • Inflammation
    • Oxidative Stress
    • Cell death
    • Proteostasis/Proteinopathies
    • Metabolism and Bioenergetics
    • Vasculature
    • Growth Factors and Hormones
    • Synaptic Plasticity/Neuroprotection
    • Gut-Brain Axis
    • Circadian Rhythm
    • Environmental Factors
    • Epigenetic Regulators
    • Multi-target
    • Unknown target
    • Other
  4. Non-clinical Drug Development (small molecules and biologics), including toxicology studies
    • Amyloid beta
    • Tau
    • ApoE, Lipids and Lipoprotein Receptors
    • Neurotransmitter Receptors
    • Neurogenesis
    • Inflammation
    • Oxidative Stress
    • Cell death
    • Proteostasis/Proteinopathies
    • Metabolism and Bioenergetics
    • Vasculature
    • Growth Factors and Hormones
    • Synaptic Plasticity/Neuroprotection
    • Gut-Brain Axis
    • Circadian Rhythm
    • Environmental Factors
    • Epigenetic Regulators
    • Multi-target
    • Unknown target
    • Other
  5. Non-clinical Proof of Concept for Non-Pharmacological Interventions
    • Exercise
    • Diet
    • Environmental Enrichment
    • Sleep-related
    • Combination therapy
    • Other
  6. Clinical Trial Design, including Recruitment/ Retention Strategies
  7. Early-stage Clinical Drug Development (Phase I and Phase II Clinical Trials)
    • Amyloid beta
    • Tau
    • ApoE, Lipids and Lipoprotein Receptors
    • Neurotransmitter Receptors
    • Neurogenesis
    • Inflammation
    • Oxidative Stress
    • Cell death
    • Proteostasis/Proteinopathies
    • Metabolism and Bioenergetics
    • Vasculature
    • Growth Factors and Hormones
    • Synaptic Plasticity/Neuroprotection
    • Gut-Brain Axis
    • Circadian Rhythm
    • Environmental Factors
    • Epigenetic Regulators
    • Multi-target
    • Unknown target
    • Other
  8. Late-stage Clinical Drug Development (Phase II/III and III Clinical Trials)
    • Amyloid beta
    • Tau
    • ApoE, Lipids and Lipoprotein Receptors
    • Neurotransmitter Receptors
    • Neurogenesis
    • Inflammation
    • Oxidative Stress
    • Cell death
    • Proteostasis/Proteinopathies
    • Metabolism and Bioenergetics
    • Vasculature
    • Growth Factors and Hormones
    • Synaptic Plasticity/Neuroprotection
    • Gut-Brain Axis
    • Circadian Rhythm
    • Environmental Factors
    • Epigenetic Regulators
    • Multi-target
    • Unknown target
    • Other
  9. Non-Pharmacological Interventions
    • Exercise
    • Diet
    • Cognitive Training
    • Sleep-related
    • Neurostimulation
    • Combination therapy
    • Other
  10. Clinical Therapy Development for the Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Dementia
    • Pharmacological
    • Non-Pharmacological
  11. Clinical Ethics
  12. Other

This category includes a listing of all of cohort and population studies (cross-sectional, cross-national, prospective, and longitudinal) that examine how a variety of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental, and social and behavioral risk factors may influence the incidence, prevalence, and clinical course of AD and ADRDs.

The research in this category includes projects aimed at improving the quality of care and quality of life for persons with dementia in a variety of care-giving settings (e.g., in the home, nursing home facilities, hospice programs) across diverse populations. This category also includes research focused on developing interventions that seek to alleviate the physical and emotional burden often associated with family or informal caregiving, which can include culturally tailored and technological interventions, as well as projects focused on assessing the economic and social impact of AD and ADRDs.

  1. Identifying, Assessing and Improving Care and Quality of Life for Persons with Dementia
    • Interventions in formal care settings (ie.acute care systems, short stay program)
    • Interventions in home or informal care settings (focused on person with dementia)
    • Assessing quality of care/life of person with dementia
    • Advanced care directives/planning interventions in formal care settings (i.e., acute care systems, short stay program)
    • Palliative care/End-of-Life 
    • Staff training and professional development
    • Long-term services and supports supporting person(s) with dementia (e.g., in different home and community-based settings LTSS including adult day centers and in-home respite care)
    • Care coordination
    • Other
  2. Identifying, Assessing and Improving Quality of Life and Care provided by Family or Informal Caregivers
    • Caregiver assessments (assessing the psychological and physical health of caregiver health, quality of life, and support needs)
    • Caregiver tools, training and education (interventions for improving caregiver mastery and skills)
    • Intervention design for improving caregiver health and well-being (focus on family caregiver)
    • Intervention design for improving surrogate communication and decision making
    • Couple-based and family-based interventions
    • Long term care services and supports (i.e. adult day center and in-home respite care; impact on on family / family caregiver)
    • Care coordination
    • Other
  3. Environmental Modifications and Technology Assisted Monitoring and Care
    • Personal device assisted care/wearables
    • Remote monitoring tools/sensors
    • Robotic-assisted care
    • Environmental modifications 
    • TV/Video assisted care
    • Other technology assisted care 
  4. Health Disparities [Assess Inequality/equity (e.g., access and quality of care)]
  5. Socioeconomic Impact of Dementia
    • Family-based economic impact
    • Societal-based economic impact
    • Caregiving / Workforce Shortage
  6. Other

The category includes a variety of resources used to conduct, translate, and disseminate high quality dementia research such as research centers, infrastructure (e.g., various cores), data and tissue repositories, and projects focused on generating disease models. Training and career development programs are also included in this category. Projects in this category may be double coded in Categories A-E and H, based on scientific relevance.

  1. Alzheimer’s Disease Centers
  2. Other Types of Cores or Centers (e.g., P01s, U01s, etc..)
  3. Professional and Career Development
    • Faculty Recruitment
    • Fellowships 
    • Career Development (Ks, Travel Grants)
    • Training Grants (e.g., T32)
    • Conferences/Workshops/Symposia
  4. Repositories, Bioinformatics and Resources
    • Biobanks
    • Data Repositories
    • Bioinformatics
  5. Infrastructure (including equipment, construction, technology, etc..)
  6. Disease Models
    • Invertebrates
    • Vertebrates
    • Rodents
    • Higher Mammals
    • iPS Cells
  7. Other

This category includes partnership enterprises that support major national and international efforts in AD and ADRD research. Projects included in this category may also be double coded in Categories A-F and H.

  1. Consortia
  2. Public Private Partnership

This category includes basic, translational and clinical research on processes and mechanisms of brain aging, and research that explores common mechanisms underlying different diseases that may contribute to our understanding of key concepts in dementia research.

  1. Brain Aging
    • Basic Research
    • Translational Research
    • Clinical Research and Epidemiology
  2. Common Mechanisms Related to Dementias
    • Basic Research
    • Translational Research
    • Clinical Research and Epidemiology