How everyday chemical exposures may affect Alzheimer's disease and its course
The Role of Chemical Exposures in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and its Trajectory
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11379382 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project combines blood tests, gut microbiome analyses, genetic data, and brain scans from people across the Alzheimer's spectrum to map metabolic changes linked to the disease. Multiple centers will apply advanced metabolomics and lipidomics to detect signatures of environmental chemical exposures and relate them to cognition and established Alzheimer's biomarkers. The work draws on existing cohorts and trials (including ADNI, POINTER, MIND, and BEAT-AD) to build a molecular atlas showing how diet, exposures, and gut microbes influence Alzheimer's over time. If you are in an Alzheimer's research cohort or can donate samples, your data could help connect everyday exposures to disease pathways.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people across the Alzheimer's spectrum—those with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, or Alzheimer's dementia—or participants enrolled in partner AD cohorts, imaging studies, or lifestyle trials.
Not a fit: People without available biospecimens or brain imaging, or those with non-neurological conditions not related to Alzheimer's, may not be eligible or see direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable new blood- or gut-based tests and exposure- or diet-focused approaches to detect Alzheimer's earlier or slow its progression.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have found promising links between metabolites, the gut microbiome, and Alzheimer's markers, but this consortium's integrated, large-scale atlas aims to provide more definitive, broadly applicable results.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima F — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima F
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.