Pulsed laser therapy to protect the brain from hidden (silent) ischemia that speeds Alzheimer's
Silent brain ischemia accelerates Alzheimer's dementia: pathogenesis and laser treatment
['FUNDING_R01'] · LOUISIANA STATE UNIV HSC SHREVEPORT · NIH-11303272
This project tries to see if pulsed laser therapy can help people with silent (unnoticed) brain ischemia avoid faster progression to Alzheimer's dementia.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | LOUISIANA STATE UNIV HSC SHREVEPORT (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SHREVEPORT, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11303272 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Silent brain ischemia means small areas of brain damage that happen without clear symptoms, and these hidden injuries seem to raise the risk of later Alzheimer's dementia. The team plans to use pulsed laser treatment and improve how deeply the light reaches the brain to protect vulnerable tissue. Work will use models of silent ischemia and Alzheimer-type brain changes to test whether the laser can prevent or slow the downstream damage. The goal is to translate those findings toward ways to protect people at risk from silent strokes and related injuries.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people at risk for or known to have silent brain ischemia—for example, those with a history of cardiac arrest, stroke, or imaging evidence of silent strokes—who are concerned about future cognitive decline.
Not a fit: Patients with advanced Alzheimer’s dementia or whose cognitive decline is driven mainly by non-ischemic genetic causes are less likely to benefit from this laser-based approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could slow or prevent Alzheimer’s symptoms in people who have had silent brain ischemia by protecting brain tissue from progressive damage.
How similar studies have performed: Prior preclinical work has shown beneficial effects of laser therapy in models of global ischemia, stroke, and Alzheimer-like neurodegeneration, but clinical evidence in people remains limited.
Where this research is happening
SHREVEPORT, UNITED STATES
- LOUISIANA STATE UNIV HSC SHREVEPORT — SHREVEPORT, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ZHANG, QUANGUANG — LOUISIANA STATE UNIV HSC SHREVEPORT
- Study coordinator: ZHANG, QUANGUANG
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.
Conditions: Acquired brain injury, Alzheimer disease dementia, Alzheimer syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease