One-scan PET/MRI to map how the Alzheimer's brain uses sugar and oxygen
Simultaneous PET/MR Imaging of Brain Glucose and Oxygen Metabolism to Assess Energy Deficits Related to Alzheimer's Disease and the Response to Intervention
Researchers will use a single combined PET/MRI scan to measure how brains of people with Alzheimer’s use sugar and oxygen and to see whether treatments change those patterns.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11290388 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would get a single hybrid PET/MRI scan that measures both glucose use (with FDG) and oxygen metabolism without needing arterial blood draws. The team will compare brain energy maps from people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias and look at whether interventions that boost brain energy, such as ketogenic supplements, change those maps. The imaging combines FDG-PET for sugar use with MRI methods for oxygen and blood flow to create detailed 3-D pictures of brain metabolism. The goal is to make these complex measurements quicker and more comfortable so they can be used in clinical research and eventually patient care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias who can safely undergo PET/MRI scanning and any short-term dietary or supplement interventions.
Not a fit: People without Alzheimer’s or those who cannot have PET/MRI (for example, due to certain implants, severe claustrophobia, or inability to lie still) are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give clearer, noninvasive biomarkers of brain energy problems in Alzheimer’s and help guide or track therapies that aim to boost brain metabolism.
How similar studies have performed: Prior PET work has shown ketogenic supplements can increase brain ketone use in Alzheimer’s, but using combined PET/MRI to measure glucose and oxygen metabolism in a single, noninvasive session is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wehrli, Felix W — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Wehrli, Felix W
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.