We were invited to submit a renewal application and extend our study to include an Alzheimer's patient (AD) population. Our original study objectives were two-fold: 1. to validate an automated and reliable high resolution magnetization transfer imaging method; 2. to collect normative data of the normal aging population. In this renewal period, we propose: 1. to continue the derivation of the normative data phase; 2. to compare normative data with the data from a separate ongoing investigation of ours which consists of AD patients. Obtaining reliable and reproducible measurements is necessary for monitoring the progression of chronic brain diseases. In AD, In vivo imaging modalities targeting small brain structures such as the hippocampus are essential to accuracy. Magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) has shown utility as a sensitive neuroimaging technique. However, most of the studies have been performed at 1.5tesla (1.5T). 1.5T field strength renders lower spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio as compared with 3 tesla (3T), posing a challenge in detecting microscopic structural changes in the hippocampal areas. In addition, the hand-tracing technique used in the MTR measurements is susceptible to operator bias and raises questions about scan-rescan variation in longitudinal studies. During the first grant period, we developed the proposed high-resolution MT image acquisition and finalized the development of the automated post processing. The image acquisition was calibrated for optimal results and the automated image analyzing software of the MTR was generated. Our intitial results indicate that this technique significantly improves the reliability of MTR measurements compared to the conventional approach, which may be the key for the validity of both cross sectional and longitudinal clincal trials. In addition, this study has evolved to include valuable clinical neurological and psychological components and the establishment of an internet based database.