How environment, gut health, and metabolism affect Alzheimer’s disease
Official title: The Role of Chemical Exposures in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and its Trajectory
Funded at University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston · NIH-11609304 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how environmental exposures, gut microbes, diet, and metabolism influence Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| 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 | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $81,000 |
| NIH project number | 3U01AG088562-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11609304 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals at risk for or diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias who participate in ADNI and related cohorts.
✕Less likely to help
Early-stage research without immediate patient-level interventions may not offer direct benefits.
What this research studies
Researchers will combine advanced metabolomics and lipidomics with genetic and brain imaging data to map how metabolic changes relate to Alzheimer’s progression. They work through the AD Metabolomics Consortium and partner with ADNI to build a molecular atlas of exposome influences on AD. The project includes the Alzheimer Gut Microbiome Project to understand how gut bacteria and diet impact brain health. Findings could reveal new biomarkers and guide future therapies that target metabolism and gut-brain interactions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from earlier detection and new treatment strategies that address metabolism and gut-brain links in Alzheimer’s.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown peripheral metabolic changes relate to brain imaging and cognitive markers, supporting this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima F — University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston
- Study coordinator: Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima F
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Alzheimer’s disease and related brain changes linked to chemicals in the body
This NIH grant supports a patient-centered effort to map how environmental exposures and body chemistry relate to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
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Understanding how everyday exposures affect Alzheimer's disease progression
A national research effort is studying how environmental exposures, gut health, diet, and metabolism relate to Alzheimer's and related dementias to identify new ways to diagnose and treat these conditions.
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Understanding how chemical exposures affect Alzheimer's disease progression
This project studies how environmental chemicals and other biological factors influence brain health and the course of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
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Understanding how brain hyperexcitability and sex differences affect Alzheimer’s disease
This grant tests whether brain hyperexcitability linked to a genetic risk (APOE4) and sex differences contribute to memory decline in Alzheimer’s disease, using computer simulations and mouse data to guide potential human treatments.
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CNS Exosomes and Adaptive Immunity in Alzheimer’s Disease
This project studies how tiny brain vesicles called exosomes may activate the body's immune system in Alzheimer’s disease, with the goal of understanding mechanisms that could lead to new treatments.
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How everyday chemical exposures may affect Alzheimer's disease and its course
Researchers will analyze blood, gut, genetic, and brain imaging data from people with and without Alzheimer's to find chemical and metabolic patterns tied to the disease.
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.