How social life and diet affect brain inflammation and aging
Social and dietary modifiers of neuroinflammation and aging
This work looks at whether social stress and different diets change brain inflammation and aging in ways that relate to Alzheimer's risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11158895 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use female macaque monkeys as a model of human social behavior and aging to see how experiences of social adversity and two contrasting diets (Western versus Mediterranean-like) alter inflammatory and stress-related signals in the body and brain. They will measure molecular markers of inflammation and stress response in tissues and blood to identify shared pathways linking social experience and diet to neuroinflammation. The team will test whether a Mediterranean-type diet can reduce brain inflammation that might otherwise accelerate aging-related changes tied to Alzheimer's disease. Findings are intended to point to biological mechanisms that could guide future human studies or interventions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People worried about Alzheimer's risk or age-related cognitive decline, especially those interested in how diet and social stress affect brain health, would find the results most relevant.
Not a fit: Patients seeking an immediate treatment or a clinical trial to join should not expect direct benefit, since this is preclinical research using nonhuman primates.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify dietary or social targets to lower brain inflammation and slow aging-related changes linked to Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have performed: Observational human studies and smaller animal studies have linked social stress, diet, and inflammation to dementia risk, but testing mechanisms in nonhuman primates is relatively new and more directly translatable.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chiou, Kenneth Lyu — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Chiou, Kenneth Lyu
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.