Precision biomarkers for brain health and age-related memory decline
Project 3: Precision biomarkers of Brain Health, Age-related Cognitive Impairment and AD
This project looks for new spinal fluid markers that reflect brain health and memory changes in adults with aging, mild cognitive problems, or Alzheimer’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11184309 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will collect a small sample of your spinal fluid (CSF) and run sensitive protein tests. They will focus on three brain pathways—NPTX2 (nerve circuit balance), mTORC1 (cell metabolism and cleanup), and GDE2/ADAM10 (APP processing linked to Alzheimer’s)—to see how protein levels change with age and cognitive status. The team will compare these marker levels to memory tests and other clinical information across adults of different ages, including people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s dementia. The goal is to find combinations of markers that signal resilience or decline and that could be used in future trials or care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older, including people with age-related memory decline, mild cognitive impairment, or Alzheimer’s dementia, as well as older adults without symptoms, would be appropriate candidates.
Not a fit: People under 21, individuals unable or unwilling to undergo spinal fluid (lumbar puncture) collection, or those whose memory problems are caused by non-neurological issues may not benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these markers could help detect early brain changes, predict who is at risk of decline, and provide measurable targets to guide future treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown that CSF biomarkers can track Alzheimer’s changes and early research supports roles for NPTX2 and mTOR-related markers, but combining these specific pathways as precision biomarkers is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Tucson, United States
- University of Arizona — Tucson, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Worley, Paul F — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Worley, Paul F
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.