How sex and reproductive history affect Alzheimer's risk
Sex-based contributors to vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease: a multimodal imaging study
This project looks at how biological sex, reproductive history, and APOE genes relate to brain changes and Alzheimer's markers in adults with early Alzheimer's and healthy older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11332991 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will enroll men and women 21 and older, including people with early-stage memory or non-memory Alzheimer's symptoms and healthy volunteers. You'll have advanced brain scans (including task-based functional imaging and ultra-high-resolution tau PET) and blood tests for Alzheimer's markers at multiple visits over time. The team will also collect reproductive history and test for APOE genotype to link these factors with changes in brain networks and tau spread. The goal is to explain why women often experience faster Alzheimer's progression.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 or older, including men and women with early-stage amnestic or non-amnestic Alzheimer's and healthy older adults willing to undergo imaging and blood draws, are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People under 21, those with advanced Alzheimer's dementia, or anyone unable or unwilling to complete imaging or genetic testing are unlikely to be eligible or benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help spot people—especially women—who are at higher risk earlier and guide more targeted prevention or treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research shows sex and APOE influence Alzheimer's risk, but combining task-based fMRI, plasma biomarkers, and ultra-high-resolution longitudinal tau PET in the same cohort is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fredericks, Carolyn Anne — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Fredericks, Carolyn Anne
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.