Brain aging and thinking changes in adults with psychosis
Official title: Multidimensional aging trajectories in mid to late-life psychosis (MAP)
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11238005 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how brain structure, energy use, and thinking skills change with age in adults with schizophrenia‑spectrum psychosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | December 15, 2023 |
| Project end | October 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,110,398 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH135451-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11238005 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults in mid to late life who have a schizophrenia‑spectrum psychotic disorder and who can attend clinic visits and undergo brain imaging.
✕Less likely to help
People without a schizophrenia‑spectrum disorder, much younger individuals, or those unable to have MRI scans or provide consent are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
This project will follow adults with schizophrenia‑spectrum psychosis in mid to late life to map how their brains and cognition change over time. Researchers will use advanced brain scans, tests of thinking and memory, and measures related to brain energy use to look for linked patterns. The team will combine imaging, cognitive, and bioenergetic data to identify biological signs of accelerated or unusual aging. The hope is to find actionable targets that could guide treatments to slow or prevent cognitive and brain aging in people with psychosis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new treatments or strategies to protect brain structure and thinking skills in people with psychosis.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has suggested accelerated brain and metabolic aging in schizophrenia, but comprehensive multimodal and longitudinal studies like this remain relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Junghee — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Lee, Junghee
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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.