Retina changes linked to Alzheimer's and inflammation
Alzheimer's Disease Hallmark Pathology and Associated Inflammation in the Retina
['FUNDING_R01'] · CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11113927
This project looks at whether immune-cell changes and protein deposits in the eye mirror Alzheimer's disease in the brain.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11113927 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will study eyes and paired brains donated after death from people with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's dementia, and those with normal cognition. They will look for amyloid and tau protein deposits, changes in retinal immune cells (microglia), and signs of blood-retina barrier and synaptic damage. The team will compare retinal findings to brain pathology and cognitive history to see which eye changes align with disease or resilience. Results are intended to clarify whether retinal measures could serve as accessible markers of brain disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal contributors are people with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment, as well as cognitively normal individuals willing to donate their eyes and brain after death.
Not a fit: People who cannot or will not donate tissue, or those without Alzheimer's-related pathology, are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to eye-based markers that help detect or monitor Alzheimer's disease earlier and less invasively.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies of donor tissue and animal models have reported retinal amyloid, tau, and vascular changes that support this approach, but translating those findings into reliable clinical eye tests remains in progress.
Where this research is happening
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES
- CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER — LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: KORONYO-HAMAOUI, MAYA — CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER
- Study coordinator: KORONYO-HAMAOUI, MAYA
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: Alzheimer disease dementia, Alzheimer disease screening, Alzheimer syndrome