How genes and inflammation may raise risk for delirium and Alzheimer's in older adults
Official title: Brain Vulnerability in Delirium and Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: Intersection of Polygenic Risk and Inflammation
Funded at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NIH-11237979 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether older adults with higher genetic risk for Alzheimer's plus inflammation from events like surgery or infection are more likely to get delirium, faster memory decline, or dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $824,196 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG079864-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11237979 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are older adults (typically age 65 and up), especially those who may undergo surgery or experience infections and who can provide blood samples and medical records for follow-up.
✕Less likely to help
Younger people or those without available genetic or inflammation data, and people whose cognitive problems are due to non‑Alzheimer causes, are less likely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will combine information about your genes (a polygenic risk score) with blood tests that measure inflammation to track changes in thinking and memory. You may be followed after events that raise inflammation, such as surgery or infection, using medical records and standard cognitive tests over time. The team will compare people with higher versus lower genetic risk to see whether inflammation more often leads to delirium or long-term cognitive decline in those with a 'vulnerable' brain. This builds on prior links between inflammation, delirium, and Alzheimer's but uses modern genetic scoring to try to pinpoint who is at greatest risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help identify older adults at higher short- and long-term risk so clinicians can target prevention or closer monitoring when inflammation occurs.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked inflammation to delirium and certain genes (like APOE) to dementia risk, and polygenic risk scores have improved Alzheimer's prediction, but combining polygenic risk with inflammation to predict delirium and downstream dementia is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vasunilashorn, Sarinnapha — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Vasunilashorn, Sarinnapha
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Low brain changes from anesthesia may signal early Alzheimer's risk
A study at Stanford will look at whether brain responses to anesthesia during surgery reveal early brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease and delirium risk in people aged 65 and up.
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Brain circuits behind confusion after surgery in early Alzheimer's
This project looks at whether activating two tiny brain centers can prevent or shorten sudden confusion after anesthesia in people with early Alzheimer's.
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Delirium after surgery and its link to Alzheimer's and related dementias
This project looks at why older adults and people with or at risk for Alzheimer's can get delirium after surgery and how that might increase later dementia risk.
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Arginine changes in people who develop delirium and thinking problems after surgery
This project looks at whether changes in arginine-related chemicals in spinal fluid are linked to delirium and later thinking problems in older adults having surgery.
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Investigating brain responses to anesthetics in older adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease
This study is looking at how brain activity changes when older adults are given anesthesia, to see if it can help spot early signs of Alzheimer's disease and identify those who might be at risk for confusion after surgery.
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Investigating how sleep disturbances may predict delirium and Alzheimer's disease after heart surgery
This study is looking at how sleep problems might affect the chances of developing confusion or Alzheimer's disease in older adults who are having heart valve surgery, and it aims to help doctors better care for these patients by tracking their sleep and thinking skills before and after the surgery.
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.