Brain aging and thinking in older adults with epilepsy
BRain Aging and Cognition in Epilepsy (BRACE): A longitudinal investigation of vascular, genetic, and biomarker risk profiles in elderly patients with epilepsy
This project follows older adults with temporal or frontal lobe epilepsy to find blood tests, genes, blood vessel measures, and brain scan patterns linked to faster memory and thinking decline.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11284027 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You'll be invited to take part in a long-term, multi-site project for people aged 55–90 with temporal or frontal lobe epilepsy. You'll have detailed memory and thinking tests, brain MRIs, blood draws for biomarkers and genetics (such as APOE), and vascular health measures collected over time. The team will compare these measures to see which patterns match faster cognitive and brain aging. Around 100 patients from three racially and geographically diverse epilepsy centers will be followed longitudinally.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 55–90 with temporal or frontal lobe epilepsy who can travel to a participating center and undergo MRI and blood draws are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People under 55, those without epilepsy, or those unable to have MRI or blood tests are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify who with epilepsy is most likely to develop dementia and point to steps to slow or prevent decline.
How similar studies have performed: Related work in Alzheimer's disease has used imaging and blood markers to predict decline, but applying this full mix of measures specifically to older adults with epilepsy is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcdonald, Carrie R — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Mcdonald, Carrie R
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 below.