Brain iron and fats in Alzheimer's
Neuropathologic-Epidemiological Study of Metallomics and Alzheimer's Disease
This project looks at whether iron and certain brain fats speed memory and movement problems in older adults with Alzheimer's changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rush University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11240333 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, researchers will measure iron and damaged fats in brain tissue from older adults with Alzheimer's changes using advanced lab methods like targeted and oxidized lipidomics and laser ablation MALDI/ICP-MS. They will combine those lab maps with long-term clinical and dietary information from the Rush Memory and Aging Project to see whether certain fats and diets relate to higher brain iron. The team will examine whether iron and oxidized lipids cause toxic cell damage through a process called ferroptosis in memory and movement regions of the brain. Results will be linked to participants' memory and motor test data to understand how these changes might speed decline.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults with Alzheimer's pathology or related cognitive impairment who are enrolled in longitudinal studies like the Rush Memory and Aging Project and willing to share diet information and brain donation.
Not a fit: People without Alzheimer's pathology, younger healthy individuals, or those unable to provide clinical follow-up or tissue donation are unlikely to receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to dietary changes or treatments that reduce iron-driven brain damage and slow cognitive and motor decline.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work from this team showed that brain iron links to cognitive decline, but combining dietary fat, oxidized lipid mapping, and ferroptosis mechanisms in humans is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Rush University Medical Center — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schneider, Julie a. — Rush University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Schneider, Julie a.
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.