Metabolic shifts during perimenopause that affect brain immune health and Alzheimer's risk
Project 1: Metabolic Mechanisms of Perimenopausal Neuroimmune Transformation: Therapeutic Targets and Windows
This project looks at how metabolic changes during perimenopause alter brain immune activity in midlife women and may raise Alzheimer’s risk, especially for those with the APOE4 gene.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11129677 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a woman entering perimenopause, this work aims to map how your body and brain metabolism change and how those shifts trigger inflammation linked to Alzheimer’s-like brain changes. Researchers will study specific brain cell types and interactions with metabolic organs to trace the metabolic and neuroimmune pathways involved. The project pays special attention to differences related to the APOE4 genetic risk factor and uses cell-type and cross-organ analyses that include human-relevant data. Results are intended to point to timing and targets for preventing conversion to an at-risk brain state.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be midlife women in perimenopause or early postmenopause, particularly those with a family history of Alzheimer’s or who carry the APOE4 gene.
Not a fit: People who are not in the perimenopausal window (such as younger women or men) or those with advanced Alzheimer’s disease are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could reveal ways to prevent or delay Alzheimer’s-related brain changes in women by targeting metabolic or immune pathways during perimenopause.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have linked perimenopause and APOE4 to brain changes, but targeting metabolic–neuroimmune pathways for prevention in women remains a relatively new and developing approach.
Where this research is happening
Tucson, United States
- University of Arizona — Tucson, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yin, Fei — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Yin, Fei
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.