Our research examines structural and functional changes in the brain with aging and age-associated neurodegenerative disease. A primary focus of this work is to determine how the common decline in vascular health with advancing age contributes to neurodegenerative changes, cognitive attenuation and the development of Alzheimers disease and other dementias. We utilize neuroimaging technology as a primary tool to measure subtle alterations in tissue integrity and physiology and how those changes relate to measures of cognitive function and systemic physiology. Through these studies, we hope to advance procedures for the clinical utilization of imaging technology in the diagnosis, characterization and tracking of neurodegenerative disease as well as towards advancing understanding of the pathological mechanisms that cause dementia.