Delirium after surgery and its link to Alzheimer's and related dementias
Postoperative Delirium and Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias
This project looks at why older adults and people with or at risk for Alzheimer's can get delirium after surgery and how that might increase later dementia risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11395067 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you're an older adult or have Alzheimer's risk, researchers are using a mouse model that mimics delirium after surgery and anesthesia to see what changes happen in the brain. They are focusing on brain inflammation and buildup of phosphorylated Tau protein, which are tied to Alzheimer's, and on how aging or Alzheimer-related genes change those responses. The team performs surgery on aged mice, watches for delirium-like behavior, and examines brain tissue for inflammatory and tau-related changes. The goal is to build a multifactorial explanation for how surgery can trigger delirium and potentially accelerate dementia in some people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal human candidates would be older adults undergoing major surgery, people living with Alzheimer's or related dementias, or individuals at high risk for dementia who could provide samples or take part in follow-up studies.
Not a fit: Younger people without dementia risk or individuals not facing surgery are unlikely to see direct benefits from this research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify ways to prevent or treat postoperative delirium and help lower the long-term risk of dementia.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies have shown that surgery and anesthesia can cause brain inflammation and delirium-like behavior and affect tau protein, but translating these findings into human treatments has been limited so far.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xie, Zhongcong — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Xie, Zhongcong
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.