Personalized diets based on gut microbes to help prevent Alzheimer's
Official title: Towards Precision Nutrition for Alzheimer's Dementia Prevention: A Prospective Study of Dietary Patterns, the Gut Microbiome and Cognitive Function
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11308277 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Seeing if tailoring healthy diets to a person's gut microbes can help protect thinking and memory in older adults at risk for Alzheimer's.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $865,792 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG077489-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11308277 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults concerned about cognitive decline, especially older adults (commonly 65+), who are willing to provide stool samples, dietary information, and complete cognitive testing would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with advanced Alzheimer's disease or severe cognitive impairment, or those unwilling to provide stool samples or share diet information, are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
You would be followed over time while the study links what you eat, your gut microbes, and changes in memory and thinking. You'd provide stool samples, fill out detailed diet questionnaires, and take brief cognitive tests while researchers perform high-resolution analysis of the gut microbiome and other molecular measures. The team will look for patterns showing which healthy dietary patterns help thinking for people with different gut microbial profiles. The goal is to lay groundwork for personalized, microbiome-informed diet recommendations to lower dementia risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to personalized diet advice that better preserves memory and thinking and reduces Alzheimer's risk for individuals.
How similar studies have gone: Population studies and at least one randomized trial suggest healthy diets support cognitive health, but tailoring diets by an individual's gut microbiome is a new approach not yet proven in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Dong — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Wang, Dong
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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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.