High-resolution brain imaging to find early tau in Alzheimer's
Methods for Quantitative Neuroimaging of Tau Burden in Pre-symptomatic AD
This project develops PET and MRI methods to find and measure tiny amounts of tau protein in people who are at risk for or in the very earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11266143 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, the team will combine PET scans that pick up tau protein with detailed MRI pictures of the brain to create much sharper images. They will use new image-reconstruction methods and motion correction so small brain regions like the rhinal cortex and locus coeruleus can be seen more clearly. The researchers will also use kinetic modeling to separate true tau signal from off-target noise that can confuse results. The goal is clearer, more reliable tau maps that could help research and eventual clinical care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who are cognitively normal but at risk for Alzheimer's or those with very mild symptoms who are willing to undergo PET and MRI scanning.
Not a fit: People with advanced Alzheimer's, those who cannot tolerate PET/MRI scans, or whose problems are unrelated to tau pathology are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let doctors and researchers detect and measure tau earlier and more accurately, improving who gets into trials and when treatments might start.
How similar studies have performed: Second-generation tau PET tracers and some image-enhancement approaches have improved detection, but off-target binding remains a problem and this particular combination of high-resolution reconstruction and kinetic modeling is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: El Fakhri, Georges — Yale University
- Study coordinator: El Fakhri, Georges
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.