Metabolic therapy to reduce aggression and improve sociability in Alzheimer’s disease models
Official title: Metabolic therapy to modulate aggression and sociability
Funded at Trinity College · NIH-11444976 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A ketogenic diet and adenosine biology are explored to see if they can lessen aggression and improve social behavior in models related to Alzheimer’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Trinity College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hartford, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2015 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $576,722 |
| NIH project number | 2R15AT008742-05A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11444976 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia and caregivers interested in non-drug approaches to improve behavior.
✕Less likely to help
Findings may not benefit individuals with non-Alzheimer’s forms of dementia or those without behavioral symptoms linked to social interaction.
What this research studies
This project tests whether a ketogenic diet, which changes metabolism toward ketone bodies, can reduce aggressive behavior and improve social interactions through the adenosine A1 receptor in mouse models. Researchers will use both normal mice and mice lacking the A1 receptor to see how metabolism and adenosine signaling affect behavior. They will examine baseline social behaviors and how these change when social situations are altered, providing insight into potential human relevance for Alzheimer’s disease with inflammation or behavioral symptoms. The study builds on years of prior work linking metabolism, adenosine signaling, and neuronal activity to behavior.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide new metabolic management strategies to help reduce aggression and improve social functioning in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked ketogenic metabolism and adenosine signaling to changes in behavior, but direct testing of aggression and sociability in Alzheimer’s models is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Trinity College
Hartford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ruskin, David Nathaniel — Trinity College
- Study coordinator: Ruskin, David Nathaniel
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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.