Mitochondrial DNA Changes in Alzheimer's Disease Across the Brain and Blood
Official title: First Comprehensive Mitochondrial DNA Brain Mutation Atlas for Alzheimer's Disease
Funded at Kuakini Medical Center · NIH-11355624 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A big study will map mitochondrial DNA mutations in the brains and blood of people with Alzheimer’s-related dementia to understand how these changes relate to brain pathology and memory decline.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kuakini Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Honolulu, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2005 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $851,333 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG027060-14 |
| Project ID | NIH-11355624 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with ADRD (especially Alzheimer’s disease) and appropriate controls from the Kuakini HHP/HAAS cohort with available brain and blood samples.
✕Less likely to help
Participants without ADRD or without available samples may not directly benefit from this study.
What this research studies
This project creates a comprehensive atlas of acquired mtDNA mutations across multiple brain regions and blood cells using autopsy samples, blood draws, and long-term clinical data from an elderly, Japanese-American cohort. Researchers will sequence mtDNA from six brain regions in people with ADRD (including many with AD) and compare to controls to pinpoint disease-related mutation patterns. They will look at how mtDNA heteroplasmy relates to brain plaques and tangles, and how these mutations correlate with cognitive decline over time, using the Kuakini Heart/ Aging study resources. The study leverages existing samples and rich clinical information to explore whether mtDNA changes contribute to the onset and progression of AD/ADRD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal mitochondrial mutation patterns linked to Alzheimer’s progression, potentially guiding earlier diagnosis or new treatment targets.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that mtDNA changes can be involved in neurodegeneration, but a comprehensive brain-wide atlas is novel and could yield new insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Kuakini Medical Center
Honolulu, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Willcox, Bradley John — Kuakini Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Willcox, Bradley John
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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.