Ketogenic diet for boosting brain energy in aging and Alzheimer's
Investigating Neuroenergetic Changes through Diet in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease (INC-AD)
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11131058
Looks at whether a ketogenic diet can boost brain energy and help thinking in older adults and people with Alzheimer’s.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (KANSAS CITY, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11131058 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would join a randomized trial where some participants follow a ketogenic diet and others follow a comparison plan, with regular study visits. Researchers will use advanced 1H and 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy on standard 3T MRI scanners, plus blood tests, to measure brain energy molecules like ATP, NAD, and beta-hydroxybutyrate. The team is creating non-invasive methods to directly track how shifting the brain from glucose to ketones changes brain bioenergetics in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. You may have brain scans, blood draws, and cognitive checks to see whether the diet improves brain metabolism and thinking.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults age 21 and older who are older adults or have or are at risk for Alzheimer's disease and who can follow a ketogenic diet and attend visits at the study site.
Not a fit: People with very advanced dementia, medical conditions that make a ketogenic diet unsafe, or those unable to travel to the study site or adhere to the diet may not benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to dietary strategies or measurable biomarkers that help preserve thinking and slow or prevent Alzheimer's by improving brain energy.
How similar studies have performed: Some smaller studies have reported cognitive benefits from ketogenic diets in Alzheimer's, but using 1H/31P MRS to measure brain energy changes is novel.
Where this research is happening
KANSAS CITY, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER — KANSAS CITY, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: TAYLOR, MATTHEW — UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER
- Study coordinator: TAYLOR, MATTHEW
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.
Conditions: Alzheimer disease dementia, Alzheimer disease prevention