Investigating how mitochondrial dysfunction affects brain health in aging and cerebrovascular disease
Official title: Exploring the mechanisms of dysfunctional mitochondrial quality control in cerebrovascular disease and the aging brain
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11031447 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how issues with the tiny powerhouses in our cells, called mitochondria, might play a role in brain diseases like Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, especially after strokes, to help find better ways to prevent or treat these conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $63,461 |
| NIH project number | 4K00AG079793-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11031447 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include older adults experiencing cognitive decline or those diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-neurological conditions or those without cognitive impairment may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how problems with mitochondria, the energy-producing structures in cells, contribute to brain diseases like Alzheimer's and other dementias. The study will explore the mechanisms that regulate mitochondrial health and how their dysfunction can lead to neurological damage, particularly after events like strokes. Using advanced technologies such as machine learning and live cell imaging, researchers will create models to simulate mitochondrial behavior and identify critical phases of dysfunction. This could lead to new insights into preventing or treating these debilitating conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapeutic strategies for preventing or treating Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fogo, Garrett Mcguire — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Fogo, Garrett Mcguire
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Aging Well with HIV: Alcohol, Risk Reduction, and Education Center (AWAR3E)
A center at Yale is exploring how aging with HIV interacts with alcohol use to create inflammation and frailty, with the goal of finding biomarkers and potential treatments.
-
Cognitive SuperAging: Exploring why some octogenarians stay sharp in memory
This NIH grant studies why a small group of people aged 80+ keep memory skills as good as much younger people, hoping to understand how to protect memory as we age.
-
Biological aging across the lifespan through a national high school-to-adult study
This grant uses a long-running national study of students and adults to collect saliva biomarkers of aging, alongside surveys, to understand how aging markers relate to health and life experiences.
-
Understanding how aging and Alzheimer’s affect how people make tough choices
This NIH grant studies how aging and Alzheimer’s risk change how people decide between immediate and delayed rewards and risky options, with the goal of helping older adults stay financially and healthwise safer.
-
Understanding how brain resilience and multiple brain pathologies influence aging and Alzheimer's disease
A long-term study follows older adults to learn how resilience to brain changes helps reduce dementia risk and what biological factors are linked to better cognitive aging.
-
National Neighborhood Data Archive helps researchers study aging health in U.S. neighborhoods
A nationwide data resource will help researchers understand how where people live affects health and aging, with a focus on respiratory illnesses in older adults.
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.