Locus coeruleus brain connections that fail in aging and Alzheimer's
Mapping the vulnerable locus coeruleus pathways in aging and AD
This project looks at how a small brain region called the locus coeruleus and its connections change with aging and Alzheimer's disease to help explain why some brain areas break down.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193854 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will map how neurons in the locus coeruleus connect to other parts of the brain and which of those cells are most likely to break down with age and in Alzheimer's. They will combine large-scale connectivity mapping with single-cell molecular tests to identify vulnerable cell types and the molecules involved. Most detailed experiments use Alzheimer model mice and aged tissue alongside human-relevant data to make findings more translatable. The team will also study the entorhinal cortex, a region that loses cells early in Alzheimer's, to see how its inputs and outputs change when the locus coeruleus is affected.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, or older adults willing to donate tissue or join related observational studies would be most relevant for this line of work.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments or enrollment in a therapeutic clinical trial are unlikely to get direct benefits from this basic science project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could point to specific brain circuits or molecular markers to target for earlier diagnosis or future treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked locus coeruleus loss to Alzheimer's, but combining whole-brain connectivity maps with single-cell molecular profiling is a newer and relatively untested approach.
Where this research is happening
Cambridge, United States
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Cambridge, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chung, Kwanghun — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Chung, Kwanghun
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.