How inherited FTD and Alzheimer's genes affect children's brain development
Neurodevelopment in children from families with genetic frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
Researchers are looking at whether children who carry inherited genes for frontotemporal dementia or Alzheimer's show early differences in brain structure and behavior compared with their noncarrying family members and kids with autism, ADHD, or learning disabilities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11299051 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your family has a known mutation for frontotemporal dementia (FTD) or Alzheimer's (AD), researchers will invite children and their noncarrier family members to UCSF for brain imaging, cognitive testing, and behavior questionnaires. The team will compare brain structure and neural network connections in mutation carriers versus noncarriers, and also compare carriers to children diagnosed with ASD, ADHD, and language-based learning disabilities. This cross-sectional work aims to find how early brain differences appear and whether carriers show overlap with common neurodevelopmental conditions. Participation typically involves one or more visits to the UCSF Dyslexia Center for MRI scans and standardized assessments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children and adolescents from families with a known inherited mutation for frontotemporal dementia or Alzheimer's, including both mutation carriers and noncarrier family members, are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without a family history of genetic FTD or AD, or those unwilling to undergo imaging and behavioral testing, are unlikely to directly benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal early brain differences in children with familial FTD or AD that lead to earlier monitoring, support, and more targeted interventions.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies in young adult presymptomatic carriers and animal models have found early brain differences, but applying this approach to children is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Suzee Eurie — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Lee, Suzee Eurie
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.