Investigating the link between circadian rhythms and postoperative delirium in older adults
Official title: Delirium, Acute Inflammation, and Rhythmic Transcriptomics (DART)
Funded at Washington University · NIH-10727587 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how changes in your body's natural sleep-wake cycle might lead to confusion after heart surgery in older adults, and it hopes to find ways to help prevent this by analyzing blood samples.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $311,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R03AG082988-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10727587 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults who are scheduled to undergo elective cardiac surgery.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not undergoing surgery or are younger than the typical geriatric age range may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how disruptions in the body's natural circadian rhythms may contribute to postoperative delirium in older adults undergoing cardiac surgery. By examining the relationship between changes in circadian timing and systemic inflammation, the study aims to identify potential biomarkers and therapies to reduce the risk of delirium. The researchers will utilize a machine-learning algorithm to analyze blood transcriptomic data, which may reveal important insights into the timing of physiological processes related to delirium. Ultimately, this work seeks to improve outcomes for older patients after surgery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing postoperative delirium in older adults, enhancing their recovery and overall quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of using transcriptomic data to study circadian rhythms and delirium is novel, related research has shown that understanding circadian disruptions can impact patient outcomes.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Sarah Kendall — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Smith, Sarah Kendall
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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READI-SET-GO: Improving Delirium Screening for Hospitalized Older Adults
A hospital-based program tests how well routine nurse delirium screening using UB-CAM works when integrated into the electronic health record to improve outcomes for older patients.
-
Continuous wearable monitor with AI to prevent agitation and delirium in hospitalized older adults
A wearable sensor and AI system will continuously track agitation in older hospital patients to help prevent delirium and protect brain health.
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Low brain changes from anesthesia may signal early Alzheimer's risk
A study at Stanford will look at whether brain responses to anesthesia during surgery reveal early brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease and delirium risk in people aged 65 and up.
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Why dementia and sudden confusion (delirium) often happen together
This project looks at brain electrical signals and chemical changes to find why people with dementia sometimes develop sudden confusion called delirium.
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AKI-related delirium after heart surgery
This grant funds research to understand why some people develop delirium after heart surgery when they also have acute kidney injury.
-
Lipocalin-2 and delirium after surgery in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias
A study at Duke University looks at how an inflammatory protein called lipocalin-2 may trigger delirium after surgery, especially in people at risk for Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
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.