Mapping brain activity in Alzheimer's and HIV-related thinking problems
Official title: Dynamic Functional Mapping of Alzheimer's Spectrum and HIV-related Brain Dysfunction
Funded at Father Flanagan's Boys' Home · NIH-11196778 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The team compares brain activity patterns in adults with Alzheimer's-related memory problems and adults living with HIV who have thinking difficulties to find distinct brain signatures.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Father Flanagan's Boys' Home NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boys Town, United States) |
| Project start | September 24, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $798,094 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS141729-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11196778 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) with mild cognitive impairment, early Alzheimer's symptoms, or people living with HIV who have memory or thinking complaints would be the best candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without cognitive symptoms, children, or those whose problems are caused by non-neurologic issues (for example, medication side effects or sleep deprivation) are unlikely to get direct benefit.
What this research studies
You would be invited to complete memory and thinking tasks while researchers record fast brain rhythms using techniques like EEG/MEG and MRI to map the affected circuits. The project will include people across the Alzheimer's spectrum (from mild cognitive impairment to dementia) and people living with HIV who report cognitive symptoms, along with comparison participants. Scientists will analyze the timing and strength of specific brain oscillations (for example, theta, alpha, gamma) to see which patterns relate to particular thinking problems and which are specific to HIV-related changes. The work aims to build detailed functional maps of brain dynamics that can separate different causes of cognitive decline.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors diagnose the cause of memory and thinking problems earlier and guide more targeted care or trials.
How similar studies have gone: Prior imaging and electrophysiology work has found related circuit changes, but directly comparing dynamic neural oscillations across Alzheimer's-spectrum and HIV-related dysfunction is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Father Flanagan's Boys' Home
Boys Town, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilson, Tony W. — Father Flanagan's Boys' Home
- Study coordinator: Wilson, Tony W.
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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.