Sleep and body clock disruption in bvFTD patients
Official title: Sleep-Circadian Disruption in Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11450715 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research team at Vanderbilt will study how sleep problems relate to brain changes and symptoms in adults with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $648,918 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NS147120-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11450715 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older diagnosed with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without bvFTD or those unwilling to undergo sleep assessments and brain imaging may not benefit from this study.
What this research studies
This study focuses on adults with bvFTD to understand how sleep-wake problems connect to brain atrophy, blood flow, and fluid changes, as well as to daily symptoms. Scientists will use objective sleep measurements and brain imaging to explore links between sleep disruption and disease features. The goal is to identify whether sleep issues help drive disease progression and if targeting sleep could influence outcomes. Participants will contribute data that may help future therapies and care strategies for bvFTD. The project is led by Dr. Ciaran Considine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and runs from 2026 through 2031.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, results could lead to better identification of sleep problems as a modifiable factor in bvFTD and inform new approaches to treatment and care.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research on sleep and neurodegeneration has shown links between sleep disruption and brain changes, but studies in bvFTD with comprehensive sleep and brain-health measures are limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Considine, Ciaran Michael — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Considine, Ciaran Michael
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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.