Seeing brain sugar use in Alzheimer’s with deuterium MRI
Imaging cerebral metabolic impairment in AD using Deuterium MRI
This project uses a new MRI method that tracks how the brain takes up and processes sugar to help people with Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11251573 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would have MRI scans using deuterium-labeled glucose, a safe, stable form of hydrogen, so researchers can watch how your brain uses sugar over time. This approach shows not just glucose uptake but how it is metabolized, offering more direct metabolic information than standard FDG-PET. Researchers at UCSF will compare scans from people with Alzheimer's and from those without to look for patterns of metabolic impairment. The goal is a sensitive, practical imaging test that could be easier to access and less costly than PET.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias, and older adults at risk who can safely undergo MRI and the imaging protocol.
Not a fit: People who cannot have MRI scans (for example due to certain implants, severe claustrophobia, or inability to tolerate the procedure) may not be able to participate or benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide earlier or clearer detection of metabolic problems in Alzheimer's and help guide treatment decisions or trial enrollment.
How similar studies have performed: FDG-PET has long been used to image glucose uptake in Alzheimer’s but gives limited metabolic detail, and deuterium MRI is a newer, promising technique with encouraging early results but less clinical validation to date.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gordon, Jeremy William — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Gordon, Jeremy William
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.