How glia and iron build-up differ between types of frontotemporal dementia
Glial-mediated Inflammation and Iron Accumulation in Frontotemporal Dementia
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · NIH-11240344
This project compares patterns of support-cell inflammation and iron buildup in two forms of frontotemporal dementia to help improve diagnosis and future treatments for people with FTD.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11240344 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will examine donated brain tissue from people who had frontotemporal dementia, combining high-field (7T) MRI with detailed tissue staining to map inflammation, iron deposits, and nerve-cell loss at multiple scales. They will compare brains with tau-related pathology versus TDP-43–related pathology to identify distinct regional patterns. The team will build models of how these changes progress across brain regions using MRI-guided sampling and microscopic analysis. Findings aim to point to markers that could eventually help tell the two underlying disease types apart during life.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people with frontotemporal dementia (or their families) who are willing to consent to brain donation or to take part in related imaging and biomarker studies.
Not a fit: People without frontotemporal dementia, those who cannot or will not donate brain tissue, or those seeking immediate clinical therapies are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to markers or imaging features that help clinicians more accurately identify the underlying protein type in FTD, improving treatment choices and trial matching.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior postmortem and MRI studies have suggested iron and glial differences in FTD, but combining 7T MRI-guided sampling with detailed histology to distinguish tau versus TDP-43 patterns is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA — PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: IRWIN, DAVID JOHN — UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- Study coordinator: IRWIN, DAVID JOHN
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.
Conditions: Alzheimer disease dementia, Alzheimer syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease and its related dementias