Sleep and diet effects on brain support cells as we age
Official title: The effects of sleep and diet on glial function
Funded at Texas A&m University · NIH-11344155 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project looks at how not sleeping well and eating lots of sugar may make brain-support cells age faster, potentially affecting brain health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $527,686 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG100365-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11344155 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who are interested in how aging, sleep, and diet affect brain health, especially those with sleep disruption or high sugar intake.
✕Less likely to help
People with conditions not related to sleep, diet, or aging effects on glia may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
As a patient-leaning description, this project explores how daily habits like sleep and sugar-rich diets influence the brain’s support cells (glia) as we get older. Researchers will study changes in glial function over time and how stress from sleep loss and high sugar impacts their ability to clear debris after injury. They will use advanced techniques to see how aging and stress alter protein production in glia and how that affects brain resilience. The study also checks whether improving sleep can counteract diet-related glial problems and how these changes relate to overall aging, sleep quality, and lifespan.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform strategies to protect brain function during aging through lifestyle changes and potential new targets to keep glial cells healthy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests glial function is sensitive to sleep and metabolic stress, with ongoing research indicating age-related declines in glial responses.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas A&m University
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Keene, Alex C — Texas A&m University
- Study coordinator: Keene, Alex C
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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.