Gut-immune-brain link to anesthesia-related brain changes in AD mice
Official title: Microbiota, Immunity and Neurotoxicity of Anesthesia and Surgery
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11429362 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in mice explores how gut bacteria and the immune system may drive brain changes and cognitive problems after anesthesia and surgery, with a focus on models of Alzheimer’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $443,090 |
| NIH project number | 1R35GM166431-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11429362 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with or at risk for Alzheimer’s disease who may benefit from interventions that mitigate perioperative brain changes, once translated to human studies.
✕Less likely to help
Direct benefits in this project are in mice; human benefits would require future translation and trials.
What this research studies
Researchers are investigating how anesthesia and surgical procedures affect the gut microbiome, the immune system, and brain biology in Alzheimer’s disease–related mouse models. They use advanced tools like MERFISH and single-nucleus RNA sequencing, along with tau-related mouse models, to understand how gut microbes influence brain inflammation and cognitive performance after anesthesia. The goal is to identify mechanisms that could be targeted to prevent perioperative neurocognitive disorder in people at risk for dementia. The project builds on prior findings that gut dysbiosis can worsen tau phosphorylation and neuroinflammation following anesthesia. This grant supports a multi-disciplinary approach to translate basic insights into strategies that could protect brain health during and after surgery for patients with or at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies to prevent cognitive decline after surgery for people with Alzheimer’s disease or related conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical work has shown a gut-immune-brain axis can influence neuroinflammation and tau biology in anesthesia models, supporting further investigation.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Yiying — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Yiying
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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.