The field of dementia research is rapidly evolving, especially with regards to our understanding of the diversity of neuropathologic changes that underlie cognitive decline. Definitions and criteria for known conditions are being periodically revised and refined, and new findings are being made about neuropathologic features associated with dementia status. The database maintained by the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) offer researchers a robust, rapid, and statistically well-powered method to evaluate the implications of newly identified neuropathologic conditions with regards to comorbidities, demographic associations, cognitive status, neuropsychologic tests, radiographic findings, and genetics. NACC data derive from dozens of excellent US Alzheimer disease research centers, which collectively follow thousands of research volunteers longitudinally. Many of the research participants are autopsied using state-of-the-art methods. In this article, we describe the NACC database and give examples of its use in evaluating recently revised neuropathologic diagnoses, including primary age-related tauopathy (PART), limbic predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE), and the preclinical stage of Alzheimer disease neuropathologic change, based on the National Institute on Aging—Alzheimer’s Association consensus guidelines. The dementia research community is encouraged to make use of this readily available database as new neuropathologic changes are recognized and defined in this rapidly evolving field.

痴呆症研究领域正在迅速发展，特别是在我们对认知衰退背后的神经病理变化多样性的理解方面。已知病症的定义和标准正在定期修订和完善，并且正在对与痴呆状态相关的神经病理学特征做出新的发现。国家阿尔茨海默病协调中心 (NACC) 维护的数据库为研究人员提供了一种强大、快速且统计功能强大的方法，用于评估新发现的神经病理状况对合并症、人口统计学关联、认知状态、神经心理学测试、放射学结果的影响和遗传学。 NACC 数据来自数十个优秀的美国阿尔茨海默病研究中心，这些中心共同纵向跟踪数千名研究志愿者。许多研究参与者都使用最先进的方法进行尸检。在本文中，我们描述了 NACC 数据库，并举例说明了其在评估最近修订的神经病理学诊断中的应用，包括原发性年龄相关 tau 病(PART)、边缘为主的年龄相关 TDP-43 脑病(LATE) 以及临床前阶段阿尔茨海默病神经病理学变化，基于国家老龄化研究所 - 阿尔茨海默病协会共识指南。随着新的神经病理学变化在这个快速发展的领域得到认识和定义，痴呆症研究界被鼓励利用这个现成的数据库。