Preserving brain energy levels to combat Alzheimer's disease
Official title: Preservation of brain NAD+ as a novel non-amyloid based therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease
Funded at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center · NIH-10863819 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring a new way to help people with Alzheimer's by testing a special compound that aims to keep important energy levels in the brain stable, which could help prevent or improve symptoms of the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX005976-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10863819 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults aged 21 and older who are at risk for or diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease who do not have significant declines in NAD+ levels may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a new approach to treating Alzheimer's disease by focusing on preserving brain levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a vital energy metabolite that decreases with age and in Alzheimer's patients. The study uses a preclinical mouse model to test a novel compound, P7C3-A20, which is designed to maintain NAD+ levels in the brain. By doing so, the researchers aim to prevent or reverse Alzheimer's-like symptoms and pathology. This approach shifts away from traditional methods that have focused heavily on amyloid-related therapies, which have shown limited success.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapeutic strategies that effectively prevent or reverse the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of targeting NAD+ levels is relatively novel, preliminary studies in other contexts have shown promise in maintaining brain health.
Where this research is happening
-
Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pieper, Andrew a — Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Pieper, Andrew a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how brain activity changes may drive Alzheimer’s disease progression in a mouse model
Researchers are testing how changes in brain signals and protein cleanup processes affect the development of Alzheimer’s disease in mice.
-
Thiamine-boosting therapy for Alzheimer’s: understanding how benfotiamine may reduce harmful AGE in DP patients
A medication-based approach using high-dose vitamin B1 (benfotiamine) is studied to help people with Alzheimer's by reducing harmful sugar-related molecules.
-
Non-invasive tears biomarker for early Alzheimer's in LMICs
A low-cost, tear-based biomarker approach aims to detect early Alzheimer’s disease in older adults in Peru and similar settings.
-
Turning APOE4 into protective APOE2 or APOE3Christchurch to help with Alzheimer’s
A patient-facing explanation of a treatment idea that aims to change a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease in the brain.
-
Telomerase in Alzheimer’s Disease: how aging biology could influence memory and brain health
Researchers are exploring a new brain-aging mechanism linked to telomerase, with potential to slow or modify Alzheimer’s disease in people and improve cognitive function.
-
Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease: Sensory, Motor, and Cognitive Clues
Researchers are testing simple sensory and movement tasks to find early signs of Alzheimer’s disease so they can diagnose and treat people sooner.
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.