How biological sex affects atrial fibrillation and risk of dementia
Official title: On the Basis of Sex: The Role of Sex chromosomal complement in Atrial Fibrillation and Dementia
Funded at University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston · NIH-11250049 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are comparing male and female biology in mice to learn how sex chromosomes might make heart rhythm problems lead to memory loss.
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 start | January 10, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $655,218 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL168979-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11250049 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This grant does not enroll people, but its findings will be most relevant to older adults with atrial fibrillation, especially women concerned about memory decline.
✕Less likely to help
People without atrial fibrillation or those whose cognitive problems come from unrelated causes may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
This project uses specially bred mice that separate the effects of sex chromosomes from sex hormones to study why women with atrial fibrillation are more likely to develop dementia. The team will monitor heart rhythms with ambulatory ECG, trigger atrial fibrillation with pacing, and map heart electrical activity to measure AF burden and atrial vulnerability. They will measure inflammation and fibrosis in the heart using MRI, lab tests, and immune-cell analyses, and evaluate brain injury and behavior with MRI, cognitive-style tests, and tissue studies. The goal is to pinpoint XX-versus-XY genetic and immune pathways that could become sex-specific drug targets to prevent dementia after atrial fibrillation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal female-specific biological pathways linking atrial fibrillation to dementia and point to new targeted prevention or treatment strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior clinical studies have linked atrial fibrillation to higher dementia risk, but using four-core genotype mice to separate chromosome effects from hormones is a novel approach in this area.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Manwani, Bharti — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Manwani, Bharti
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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.