Metabolic and Hormonal Factors in Dementia with Vascular Contributions (VCID)
Official title: Metabolic and Hormonal Mechanisms of VCID
Funded at Albany Medical College · NIH-11391252 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study investigates how menopause and metabolic health affect vascular-related cognitive impairment and whether boosting brain estrogen signaling could help after menopause.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albany Medical College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albany, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2019 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $813,675 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS110749-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11391252 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are postmenopausal individuals at risk for or showing signs of VCID or Alzheimer’s disease with vascular contributions to cognition.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without vascular contributions to dementia or those not considered postmenopausal may experience limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores why vascular problems contribute to dementia and how hormonal changes after menopause worsen it. Researchers use animal and human cell models to study estrogen signaling in the brain and its impact on endothelial cells and cognitive function. They aim to identify a brain-targeted estrogen therapy that could improve cognition in models of VCID and AD, with the goal of guiding future treatments for patients with a combination of vascular and Alzheimer’s pathology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new brain-targeted therapies that lessen cognitive decline in patients with VCID-related dementia.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest estrogen signaling may protect brain vascular and cognitive function, but translation to therapies is still under development.
Where this research is happening
-
Albany Medical College
Albany, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zuloaga, Kristen Leanne — Albany Medical College
- Study coordinator: Zuloaga, Kristen Leanne
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.