Spinal fluid and blood tests to understand delirium and thinking problems after surgery
Official title: Examining CSF and Blood Biomarkers to Gain Insight into Postoperative Delirium and Neurocognitive Dysfunction
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11309642 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at spinal fluid and blood markers from adults having surgery to learn why some develop delirium and longer-term thinking problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $745,952 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG090600-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11309642 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults scheduled for surgery who can provide blood and CSF samples and agree to cognitive testing before and after their operation.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not having surgery, cannot undergo lumbar puncture, or are unwilling to complete follow-up testing are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
What this research studies
If I join, researchers will collect blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples during and after surgery and measure markers like beta-amyloid, tau, signs of blood-brain barrier damage, and inflammation. They will take these measurements at multiple times to see how levels change over days to months. My thinking and memory will be tested before and after surgery and during follow-up to link the lab markers with changes in cognition. The team will combine the biological data with clinical information to look for patterns that explain who develops delirium or lasting cognitive problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could help doctors predict, monitor, or eventually prevent delirium and longer-term cognitive decline after surgery using blood or spinal fluid tests.
How similar studies have gone: Animal and some human studies support parts of the hypothesis, but collecting serial CSF around surgery in patients is relatively new and not yet widely tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brown, Charles Hugh — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Brown, Charles Hugh
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Lipocalin-2 and delirium after surgery in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias
A study at Duke University looks at how an inflammatory protein called lipocalin-2 may trigger delirium after surgery, especially in people at risk for Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
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Commercialization of an EEG-guided anesthesia system to reduce delirium in older adults and those at risk for Alzheimer’s
A new wireless EEG-guided anesthesia system aims to reduce postoperative delirium in seniors and people with or at risk for Alzheimer’s by personalizing brain monitoring during surgery.
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Delirium after surgery and its link to Alzheimer's and related dementias
This project looks at why older adults and people with or at risk for Alzheimer's can get delirium after surgery and how that might increase later dementia risk.
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Intraoperative EEG-Guided Anesthesia to Reduce Delirium in Older Adults and Those with Alzheimer’s or Related Dementias
A new system uses brainwave monitoring during surgery to tailor anesthesia and reduce delirium risk in older patients and those with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias.
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Understanding how blood biomarkers link delirium after surgery to Alzheimer’s disease
This study tests whether blood markers of Alzheimer's disease can predict and explain delirium after surgery in older adults.
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Neuroinflammation, Protective Brain Scaffolds, and Delirium After Surgery
This project looks at why older people often get delirium after surgery and how brain tissues called perineural nets might influence this, with the goal of improving outcomes for people at risk of Alzheimer’s-related conditions.
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.