Imaging TDP-43 changes in primary progressive aphasia and genetic frontotemporal dementia
Biological Bases for Neuroimaging Signatures of TDP-43 in Primary Progressive Aphasia and Genetic FTLD
['FUNDING_P01'] · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · NIH-11265593
This project aims to find brain imaging markers of the TDP-43 protein in people with primary progressive aphasia and inherited frontotemporal dementia so doctors can better tell these cases apart from tau-related disease.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_P01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11265593 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would be part of research comparing brain scans and language tests from people with different types of primary progressive aphasia and those with genetic frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Researchers will look at patterns of gray-matter and white-matter degeneration and brain network connectivity that match TDP-43 versus tau pathology. They will use clinical language measurements, neuroimaging, and comparisons to genetic and autopsy data to link imaging patterns to the underlying proteinopathy. The goal is to create imaging signatures that indicate whether TDP-43 is driving the disease in a living person.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia (especially semantic-variant or non-fluent/agrammatic variants) or individuals with known genetic frontotemporal lobar degeneration who can travel to the study center.
Not a fit: People whose language problems come from other causes (such as Alzheimer’s disease or stroke) or those unable to undergo imaging visits are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let clinicians identify TDP-43 pathology in living patients using MRI or related brain imaging, improving diagnosis and tracking of disease.
How similar studies have performed: This approach is relatively novel—while imaging markers exist for tau pathology, there are currently no established in-vivo imaging biomarkers specific for TDP-43, so the work is largely untested.
Where this research is happening
PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA — PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: GEE, JAMES C — UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- Study coordinator: GEE, JAMES C
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.