Exploring a feeding schedule to improve brain health in older adults with mild cognitive impairment
Official title: Assessing the feasibility and acceptability of a Time Restricted Feeding intervention among older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-10771264 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how eating within certain hours each day might help improve brain and body health in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, and by joining in, you'll help us learn if this eating plan can make a difference for people like you.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $508,385 |
| NIH project number | 5R61AG080615-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10771264 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are older adults aged 21 and above who have been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with severe cognitive impairment or those who are unable to follow a structured eating schedule may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how a time-restricted feeding approach can affect cognitive and metabolic health in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Participants will follow a specific eating schedule over 12 weeks, allowing researchers to assess both the feasibility and acceptability of this intervention. The study aims to understand whether this dietary strategy can enhance metabolic function and potentially improve cognitive outcomes. By participating, individuals will contribute to important findings that could lead to better management of cognitive decline.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a new dietary intervention to help improve cognitive function and metabolic health in older adults at risk for dementia.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of time-restricted feeding is gaining interest, this specific application in older adults with MCI is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Patrick Josey — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Smith, Patrick Josey
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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.