Understanding Immune Changes and Brain Barrier Health in Alzheimer's Disease
Immune cell activation and associated blood brain barrier changes across different stages of Alzheimer's disease
This project looks at how immune cells and the brain's protective barrier change in people at different stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10845542 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project aims to understand how the body's immune system, both in the blood and around the brain, changes as Alzheimer's disease progresses. Researchers will examine immune cells and the health of the blood-brain barrier in individuals with early Alzheimer's, mild cognitive impairment, and full dementia, as well as in healthy older adults. By comparing these groups, we hope to learn how immune responses develop over time and how they might affect memory and thinking skills. This work could help us find new ways to detect and treat Alzheimer's disease earlier.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be individuals diagnosed with preclinical Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's, or Alzheimer's disease dementia, as well as healthy older adults.
Not a fit: Patients without Alzheimer's disease or related cognitive conditions would likely not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to identify Alzheimer's disease earlier and develop treatments that target the immune system to slow or stop its progression.
How similar studies have performed: While the role of the immune system in Alzheimer's is an active area of investigation, this project offers a novel approach by combining single-cell immune profiling with blood-brain barrier changes across different disease stages.
Where this research is happening
Cleveland, United States
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru — Cleveland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pillai, Jagan Ayyappan — Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
- Study coordinator: Pillai, Jagan Ayyappan
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.