Understanding brain causes of apathy in Alzheimer's and related dementias using brain imaging and stimulation
Official title: Investigating neuroanatomical underpinnings of apathy in ADRD through neuroimaging and electrical manipulation
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11135348 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will learn whether brain shrinkage and activity explain apathy in people with Alzheimer's and related dementias and whether targeted brain stimulation can quickly change motivation in Parkinson's patients getting DBS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $736,141 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH127200-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11135348 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include people with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias who show noticeable apathy, and Parkinson's patients scheduled for subthalamic nucleus DBS.
✕Less likely to help
People without neurodegenerative disease or whose low motivation is mainly due to medication side effects, untreated depression, or non-brain causes may not benefit from this work.
What this research studies
You would have brain scans and behavioral tests that measure how you respond to rewards and effort to see what drives low motivation. Researchers will compare people with Alzheimer's, related dementias, and Parkinson's to link specific brain changes to apathetic behavior. Parkinson's patients already scheduled for deep-brain stimulation (DBS) will be tested to see if changing stimulation alters goal-directed behavior right away. The team aims to identify the brain circuits behind apathy so future treatments can be more precisely directed.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to brain-based targets and treatments to reduce apathy and improve daily motivation and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous imaging studies have linked frontal and subcortical changes to apathy and DBS can change behavior in some Parkinson's patients, but combining imaging, reward-effort testing, and direct DBS manipulation across these groups is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vanegas-Arroyave, Nora — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Vanegas-Arroyave, Nora
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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.