Boosting vitamin A and gene activity in the brain's memory center
Official title: The hippocampal dentate gyrus in aging and Alzheimer's disease: boosting transcription of retinoic acid-sensitive genes through vitamin A supplementation and HDAC inhibition
Funded at Texas Tech University Health Scis Center · NIH-11323597 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research aims to see whether vitamin A supplements together with drugs that boost gene activity can restore key memory-related genes in older adults and people with Alzheimer's.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Tech University Health Scis Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lubbock, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $623,559 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG073826-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11323597 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with age-related memory decline or Alzheimer's disease and families interested in brain donation are the most directly relevant to this research.
✕Less likely to help
People seeking an immediate experimental treatment benefit or those without memory problems are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this lab- and tissue-based work.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, the team is focusing on the dentate gyrus, a part of the hippocampus important for memory that is vulnerable in aging and Alzheimer's. They analyzed donated human brain gene data and found that genes controlled by retinoic acid (a vitamin A form) are turned down in Alzheimer’s, and they will use lab and animal experiments to test whether restoring retinoic acid levels and blocking gene-silencing enzymes (HDACs) brings those genes back. The work looks at oxidative stress, vitamin A biology, and how these influence gene activity in the memory center. The goal is to link findings from human brain tissue with preclinical tests of vitamin A supplementation and HDAC inhibition to guide future therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to vitamin A–based or gene-activating strategies that help protect memory and slow Alzheimer's-related decline.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies have shown that restoring retinoic acid signaling or blocking HDACs can improve memory-related gene activity, but antioxidant and HDAC approaches have not yet produced clear success in human Alzheimer's trials.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas Tech University Health Scis Center
Lubbock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lawrence, John Joshua — Texas Tech University Health Scis Center
- Study coordinator: Lawrence, John Joshua
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Lipids and brain aging in Alzheimer's disease
Aims to understand how lipids in the body relate to aging of the brain and Alzheimer's disease by studying blood and brain-related lipid patterns.
-
Metabolic clues from lipids in aging and Alzheimer's disease
A lipid-focused research effort is exploring how fat-related molecules influence brain aging and Alzheimer's disease to uncover new ideas for care.
-
Metabolic clues from lipids to understand aging and Alzheimer’s disease
This grant studies how lipids in the body relate to aging of the brain and the risk and progression of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
-
Team science approach to study aging and Alzheimer’s disease with machine learning and functional genomics
A combined team effort will use advanced computer models and brain cell data to understand how aging influences Alzheimer’s disease.
-
Brains aging and Alzheimer’s disease: a multi-scale MRI and biology study
Researchers will combine advanced diffusion MRI and biological data to better understand how aging relates to Alzheimer’s disease in people, aiming to spot early signals that may lead to prevention.
-
Studying how aging and Alzheimer’s affect the front part of the brain using real-time imaging and computer models
Researchers will combine live brain imaging in animals with computer simulations to understand how aging and Alzheimer’s disease change the prefrontal cortex and relate to memory and thinking problems.
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.