Using metabolic age and blood lipids to understand brain aging in Alzheimer's
Metabolic age to define influences of the lipidome on brain aging in Alzheimer's disease
['FUNDING_R01'] · DUKE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11517756
This project looks for patterns in blood and brain lipids and a person’s “metabolic age” to find early signs and pathways of Alzheimer's for people with or at risk of the disease.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | DUKE UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (DURHAM, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11517756 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will combine blood tests, brain tissue data, and genetic information from large Alzheimer's cohorts to map how lipids change with age and disease. They will calculate a person’s "metabolic age" from biochemical profiles and compare it to actual age to spot accelerated brain aging. Advanced lipid profiling and computer models will search for lipid signatures tied to brain changes and Alzheimer's biology. Your samples or data from existing research cohorts could help identify biomarkers or targets for future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, or those at higher risk who are willing to provide blood samples, join research cohorts, or contribute to brain donation programs.
Not a fit: People not affected by cognitive decline, those unwilling to provide samples or join cohorts, or anyone seeking an immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal blood-based biomarkers and new biological targets that enable earlier diagnosis and guide development of treatments for Alzheimer's.
How similar studies have performed: Previous metabolomics and lipidomics studies have found lipid changes linked to Alzheimer's, but applying a metabolic-age approach across many cohorts and integrating brain and blood lipidomes is a relatively new and less-tested direction.
Where this research is happening
DURHAM, UNITED STATES
- DUKE UNIVERSITY — DURHAM, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: KADDURAH-DAOUK, RIMA F — DUKE UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: KADDURAH-DAOUK, RIMA F
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.