How everyday chemical exposures may change Alzheimer's and its course
Official title: The Role of Chemical Exposures in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and its Trajectory
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11379381 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how chemicals in the environment, diet, and the gut interact with genes and blood chemistry to relate to Alzheimer's for people with or at risk for 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 start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $26,460 |
| NIH project number | 3U01AG088562-02S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11379381 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are older adults with Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, or those at elevated risk who can provide biological samples and medical information at participating centers.
✕Less likely to help
People without concerns about cognitive decline, those with non-Alzheimer's brain diseases unrelated to the study goals, or individuals unable to provide samples or travel to partner sites are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
If you join, you would contribute blood, stool, and health information so researchers can link chemical exposures, the gut microbiome, and metabolic changes to brain scans and memory changes. The team combines advanced metabolomics and lipidomics with genetic data and neuroimaging from partnerships like ADNI and several Alzheimer Research Centers. They also work with large diet and lifestyle programs to see how those factors shape the gut-brain connection. All this data will be used to build a molecular atlas that maps how exposures affect Alzheimer's over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better blood-based markers to detect Alzheimer-related changes earlier and suggest new ways to lower risk by changing diet, exposures, or microbiome factors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous efforts like ADNI and earlier metabolomics work have found links between blood metabolites, the gut microbiome, and brain changes, but combining exposome data and a multi-center molecular atlas is a newer, more comprehensive approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima F — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima F
Related research
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Alzheimer’s disease and related brain changes linked to chemicals in the body
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Understanding how everyday exposures affect Alzheimer's disease progression
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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.
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.