Blood test to detect abnormal alpha-synuclein in dementia
Official title: Development of a Blood-based Test for Identifying Synucleinopathy in Patients with Dementia
Funded at Neurodex INC · NIH-11169963 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing a blood test to find abnormal alpha‑synuclein proteins in people with dementia so doctors can avoid antipsychotics that might be harmful.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Neurodex INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Arlington, United States) |
| Project start | September 23, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $518,202 |
| NIH project number | 5R44NS130864-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11169963 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with dementia, Parkinsonism, or unclear cognitive symptoms where clinicians suspect Lewy body–related disease or synucleinopathy would be the most appropriate candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without cognitive or movement symptoms, or those with a clear diagnosis of purely Alzheimer's pathology with no suspicion of synucleinopathy, are less likely to benefit.
What this research studies
If I have memory, thinking, or movement problems, the team is working on a simple blood test to spot alpha‑synuclein linked to Lewy-type brain disease. They use a method to pull out tiny particles from blood called extracellular vesicles that come from brain cells to concentrate brain-specific protein signals. In early work their assays distinguished Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy from healthy controls using these neuron-derived vesicles. They plan to finish discovery work and then run analytical and clinical validation steps to show the test works reliably in patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the test could help identify people whose dementia involves alpha‑synuclein and guide safer medication choices, potentially preventing severe adverse reactions to antipsychotics.
How similar studies have gone: Past attempts to measure alpha‑synuclein in whole plasma generally failed, but recent approaches isolating neuron-derived extracellular vesicles have shown promising accuracy in small patient groups.
Where this research is happening
-
Neurodex INC
Arlington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eitan, Erez — Neurodex INC
- Study coordinator: Eitan, Erez
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.