Thiamine's effect on brain function in older adults after heart surgery
Official title: Thiamine Intervention and Cognition in Older Adults Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting- A Randomized Clinical Trial
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-10811014 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at whether taking thiamine, a vitamin that helps with energy, can boost brain function in older adults aged 60 to 80 who are having heart surgery, with the hope of making their recovery easier and improving their quality of life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | September 29, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $432,057 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AG081720-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10811014 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults aged 60 to 80 who are scheduled to undergo coronary artery bypass grafting.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are younger than 60 or those not undergoing CABG may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates whether thiamine, a vitamin essential for energy metabolism, can help improve cognitive function in older adults who are undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The study will involve 52 participants aged 60 to 80, who will be randomly assigned to receive either thiamine or a placebo. Researchers will assess cognitive performance and measure thiamine levels in the blood to determine if thiamine can mitigate cognitive decline associated with heart surgery. The goal is to explore a low-cost intervention that could enhance recovery and quality of life for these patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved cognitive outcomes and quality of life for older adults recovering from heart surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that thiamine supplementation can positively impact metabolic processes, but this specific application in post-CABG cognitive recovery is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kumar, Rajesh — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Kumar, Rajesh
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Cognition After War: A new {HCAP} for older adults and their children
A study will create a standardized cognitive test battery for older veterans and their midlife children to understand how early-life war exposure might influence dementia risk.
-
Cognition After War: A New, Harmonized Cognitive Check for Older Adults and Their Children
A new program will create a standardized set of cognitive tests and study how early-life war experiences might raise dementia risk in older adults and potentially affect their midlife children.
-
Cognition After War: A New, Harmonized Cognitive Test Series and ADRD Risk Study for Older Adults and Their Children
A study will create a harmonized set of cognitive tests and look at how early-life war exposure may relate to dementia risk in older adults and their midlife children.
-
Cognition after war: a new, harmonized brain-health check for older adults and their children
A new plan will create a harmonized set of cognitive tests and study how early-life war exposure might influence later dementia risk in older adults and their midlife children.
-
ROMA:Cog trial compares single vs multiple arterial grafts for brain health after CABG
A study in adults undergoing heart bypass surgery will test whether one arterial graft or multiple arterial grafts affect brain function and brain injury markers.
-
SynGAP1: New Ways It Shapes Synapses and Thinking
A Johns Hopkins team is studying how a protein called SynGAP1 helps brain connections and thinking, to understand autism-related changes.
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.