Understanding Alzheimer's Disease with a New Imaging Tool
Sigma-1 Receptor Radioligand for Translational Research in Alzheimer's Disease
This project is creating a special imaging agent to help us better understand how Alzheimer's disease develops and progresses in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11097278 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are developing a new type of tracer, called a radioligand, that can be seen with special brain scans. This tracer is designed to attach to a specific target in the brain called the sigma-1 receptor, which may play a role in Alzheimer's disease. By using this new imaging tool, we hope to learn more about the changes in the brain that happen as Alzheimer's progresses. This could also help us find ways to diagnose Alzheimer's earlier.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is not directly recruiting patients at this stage, but future studies using this imaging tool would likely seek individuals with or at risk for Alzheimer's disease.
Not a fit: Patients not affected by Alzheimer's disease or related cognitive decline would not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a new way to detect Alzheimer's disease earlier and provide a clearer understanding of its underlying causes, potentially guiding future treatments.
How similar studies have performed: While the sigma-1 receptor is a known target, developing and validating a new, optimal imaging agent for it in Alzheimer's disease is a novel and important step.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huang, Yiyun Henry — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Huang, Yiyun Henry
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.