MRI measurement of how the Alzheimer's brain uses oxygen
Quantitative MRI-based cerebral oxygen metabolism in Alzheimer's disease
This project uses a new MRI technique to measure how brains with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease use oxygen to track metabolism over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11134752 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, researchers will develop and fine-tune an MRI method that combines multi-echo imaging and arterial spin labeling to make maps of oxygen extraction, blood flow, and oxygen use in the brain. The team will use a computational method called sparsity fingerprinting to improve the quality of those maps. They will compare the MRI oxygen maps to established Alzheimer's markers to see where they match or differ. The goal is a non-radiation MRI tool that could be used repeatedly to follow people over time and in treatment studies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults with mild cognitive impairment or a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease who can undergo MRI scans.
Not a fit: People without cognitive symptoms, those with non-Alzheimer forms of dementia, or individuals who cannot have an MRI (for example because of certain implants or severe claustrophobia) are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give patients a noninvasive MRI biomarker of neuronal metabolism that helps track disease progression and treatment effects without radiation exposure.
How similar studies have performed: MRI methods to measure brain oxygen use are relatively new and less established than FDG-PET, so this approach is promising but still needs validation against existing measures.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Yi — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Wang, Yi
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.