Frequently Asked Questions

TRC-LATE stands for Trial Ready Cohort – Limbic-predominant Age-related TDP-43 Encephalopathy. This page answers common questions about LATE, memory changes in later life, and research participation. It is for education only and is not a diagnosis or medical advice. Please talk with a qualified health professional about personal health questions.

LATE stands for Limbic-predominant Age-related TDP-43 Encephalopathy. LATE is a brain disease linked to changes in a protein called TDP-43. It can affect memory and thinking in later life and may look similar to Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers have recently recognized and better understood LATE; this does not mean the disease itself is newly appearing.

What we know

  • LATE is linked to abnormal changes involving TDP-43, a protein normally found in brain cells.
  • LATE often affects brain areas important for memory, including the hippocampus.
  • LATE can look similar to Alzheimer’s disease because both can cause memory loss.
  • LATE can happen by itself or along with Alzheimer’s disease or other brain changes.
  • There is currently no cure for LATE.

What researchers are still learning

  • How to identify LATE more accurately during life.
  • Why some people develop LATE and others do not.
  • How LATE changes over time.
  • How LATE overlaps with Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia.
  • How research tools such as memory testing, brain imaging, blood samples, and digital assessments may help scientists study LATE.

When to talk with a doctor

Memory changes can have many causes. LATE is only one possible explanation. Talk with a doctor or another qualified health professional if you or someone close to you notices:

  • Memory changes that are new or getting worse.
  • Trouble managing medicines, bills, meals, appointments, or transportation.
  • Confusion in familiar or unfamiliar places.
  • Changes in judgment, mood, sleep, or daily routines.
  • Safety concerns with driving, cooking, falls, or living alone.

A medical evaluation can help look for treatable or manageable causes and guide next steps.

For care partners

Care partners can help by noticing changes, supporting daily routines, and helping the person get the right evaluation and support.

  • Write down examples of memory or thinking changes.
  • Bring notes and questions to medical visits, if the person agrees.
  • Keep routines simple and predictable.
  • Review safety around medicines, cooking, driving, and finances.
  • Encourage social connection and meaningful daily activities.
  • Ask for help before caregiving feels overwhelming.

LATE is a brain disease that can affect memory and thinking in later life. Its full name is Limbic-predominant Age-related TDP-43 Encephalopathy.

No, while it is a new diagnosis, this simply means it was not previously recognized and is now becoming better understood by researchers.

No. LATE and Alzheimer’s disease are different brain diseases. They can look similar because both can cause memory loss, however a person can have both.

TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is an important protein that normally stays in the nucleus of brain cells. In LATE, this protein can become abnormal and collect in brain areas involved in memory.

LATE is most often seen in very old adults, especially people over age 80. Memory changes in older adults can have many causes, and LATE is only one possibility.

There is no simple, widely available routine test that definitively diagnoses LATE in living patients. Some specialty memory clinics and research studies may describe LATE as possible or probable based on a pattern of memory symptoms, brain imaging, and other tests. These approaches are still being studied and may change over time.

LATE and Alzheimer’s disease can cause similar memory problems. Symptoms alone usually cannot show the exact cause. A medical evaluation can help look for many possible causes of memory change.

Yes. LATE can occur by itself or along with Alzheimer’s disease or other brain changes. This is one reason memory problems in later life can be complex.

There is currently no cure for LATE. People with memory changes can still benefit from medical evaluation, support at home, safety planning, care partner support, and treatment of other health conditions.

If you are having memory problems, you should see a health professional. Memory changes can have many causes, including some that may be treatable or manageable and a health professional can help to guide next steps.

There is no proven way to prevent LATE. General health steps, such as staying active, managing health conditions, sleeping well, and staying socially connected, may support overall brain health. Ask your health professional what is right for you.

TRC-LATE is a multi-site observational research study. Observational means the study collects information over time; it is not testing a treatment for LATE. The study is designed to help researchers learn more about LATE, improve research tools, and prepare for future studies.

TRC-LATE has more than one eligibility pathway. Some participants may be age 85 or older with memory concerns, memory-related cognitive changes, or certain MRI findings. Some cognitively impaired participants age 75 or older may be considered if existing amyloid testing is negative. The study team reviews eligibility based on the approved study criteria.

Study activities may include yearly clinical and memory testing visits, yearly blood collection, yearly MRI scans, FDG-PET scans about every two years, remote tablet or smartphone-based memory tasks, surveys, and interviews. The study is designed to follow participants over time.

Because LATE can only be confirmed by studying brain tissue after death, consent to brain autopsy is part of TRC-LATE participation.

TRC-LATE is a research study and is not intended to provide clinical diagnosis, medical advice, or treatment recommendations. Most individual research results, including research blood markers, FDG-PET research interpretations, and remote testing results, are not returned to participants or clinicians. MRI and FDG-PET scans are handled according to each site’s process for reviewing and communicating clinically important incidental findings.

No. TRC-LATE is observational and does not provide a treatment for LATE. Taking part in research is voluntary. The study team will explain the time involved, possible risks, privacy protections, and alternatives before a person decides whether to join.

Families can ask a doctor, memory clinic, social worker, local aging services agency, or dementia support organization about education, care planning, respite care, safety resources, and support groups.

Mayo Clinic Resource on LATE