Data from the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium (TARCC) includes cases enrolled at several major medical research institutions (as of 2013 this included Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, University of North Texas Health Science Center, The University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and Texas A & M Health Science Center).

Individuals must be at least 55 years of age with a diagnosis of probable AD or normal cognition based on a Clinical Dementia Rating Global Score of 0. Clinical, neurological, and neuropsychological examinations performed at each site follow the TARCC research protocol that has been adopted from the standard clinical work-up for dementia. All subjects are examined at baseline and at each annual follow-up visit.

Information is obtained from the clinical and neurological examination on age at onset of symptoms (if AD patient), family history of dementia in first degree relatives, cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular disease risk factors.  Subjects also undergo a battery of neuropsychological tests as part of the TARC research protocol, with all information reviewed by a consensus panel made up of at least a physician, neuropsychologist, and research coordinator at each site to assign the final clinical diagnosis according to NINCDS-ADRDA criteria.