Liver inflammation and insulin resistance linked to Alzheimer's disease
Official title: Role of Peripheral Insulin Resistance and Inflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease
Funded at Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester · NIH-11317182 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Seeing if inflammation and insulin resistance in the liver contribute to Alzheimer's symptoms in older adults and people at risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $737,005 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG085308-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11317182 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with early Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, or metabolic liver disease (MASLD) and/or type 2 diabetes would be the most relevant candidates for follow-up clinical work.
✕Less likely to help
People without metabolic or liver problems, or those with very advanced Alzheimer's, are less likely to receive direct benefit from this preclinical work.
What this research studies
Researchers will use Alzheimer’s-like animal models to test whether metabolic inflammation in the liver changes brain inflammation, build-up of Alzheimer’s pathology, and memory. They will alter immune signaling molecules (such as IL-12 and interferon-γ pathways) in myeloid cells and measure effects on liver insulin signaling, systemic inflammation, brain pathology, and cognitive behavior. The team will track molecular markers, brain plaques and related damage, and performance on memory tasks to trace how peripheral signals influence the aging brain. Results will help determine whether targeting liver inflammation or metabolic dysfunction could be a path toward treatments for people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatment strategies that target liver inflammation or metabolic pathways to slow or prevent Alzheimer's progression.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies, including reducing IL-12 signaling in APP/PS1 mice, have shown reduced Alzheimer's-like pathology, but successful translation to humans has not yet been established.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
Worcester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Jason K — Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
- Study coordinator: Kim, Jason K
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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.