How blood tests and risk factors predict Alzheimer's differently in men and women
Official title: Sex-specific risk factors and trajectories of blood biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias
Funded at Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute · NIH-11297656 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at blood markers and known risk factors to predict Alzheimer's and related dementias in older men and women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $334,342 |
| NIH project number | 4R01AG079397-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11297656 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are older community-dwelling adults without a diagnosis of dementia, including those with known risk factors such as APOE-ε4.
✕Less likely to help
People who already have a diagnosed dementia are unlikely to benefit directly from this prediction-focused research.
What this research studies
If I join, researchers will follow older adults who do not yet have dementia and take blood samples over time to measure amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration markers (AT[N]). They will also collect health, lifestyle, and genetic information such as APOE-ε4 status to see how these factors change and relate to cognitive decline. The team will compare trajectories and risk patterns separately in men and women. From these data they will build a sex-specific risk score that combines blood tests and other risk factors to improve personalized prognosis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could enable earlier and more personalized prediction of Alzheimer's risk and help target prevention for men and women more effectively.
How similar studies have gone: Blood-based AT(N) biomarkers have shown promising results for detecting Alzheimer's pathology, but creating validated sex-specific risk scores in large community cohorts is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Murray, Anne M — Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Murray, Anne M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
P-CARRS-BRAIN: Predicting Alzheimer’s risk in South Asians in India using genetic, behavior, and vascular data
Aims to predict Alzheimer’s disease risk in middle-aged South Asians by combining genetic, lifestyle, and vascular information to catch early changes before dementia develops.
-
P-CARRS-BRAIN: Predicting Alzheimer’s risk in South Asians in India using genetics, behavior, and vascular data
Aimed at people 21 and older, this project looks at how biology, behavior, and blood vessel health together may signal the early risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in South Asians.
-
Sex-specific blood biomarkers predict dementia risk in older adults
This NIH project tests how blood biomarkers and sex differences predict future dementia in older people, with the goal of personalized prognosis and prevention.
-
How sleep and body temperature affect Alzheimer's risk in adults with Down syndrome
Researchers will follow adults with Down syndrome over several years to learn whether sleep problems and lower body temperature are linked to earlier Alzheimer's changes.
-
Sleep and body temperature changes linked to Alzheimer’s risk in adults with Down syndrome
This project looks at whether sleep problems and lower body temperature in adults with Down syndrome are linked to higher chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
-
Sex-specific blood biomarkers to predict Alzheimer's and related dementias
This project aims to use blood biomarkers to predict risk of Alzheimer's-related conditions in older adults, with attention to how sex differences may change risk.
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.