Whether long-term epilepsy speeds up brain aging, seen with PET and MRI scans
Official title: PET/MR Correlates of Accelerated Aging in Chronic Epilepsy
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-11251783 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are using PET and MRI brain scans to look at whether adults with long-term focal epilepsy show signs of faster brain and memory aging than people their age.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2021 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $575,753 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS117568-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251783 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with long-standing focal epilepsy who are willing to travel for brain PET and MRI scans and neurocognitive testing would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of chronic epilepsy or those who cannot undergo PET/MRI (for example due to implanted devices, pregnancy, or inability to travel) would not be expected to benefit from participating.
What this research studies
You would have combined PET and MRI brain scans to look for signs of aging-related changes such as amyloid buildup, reduced metabolism, and altered brain structure and connectivity. The team will compare these imaging markers in adults with chronic focal epilepsy to people of the same age without epilepsy. You would also complete memory and thinking tests and share health and genetic information to find factors that increase or reduce risk for faster brain aging. The researchers aim to link imaging and clinical measures to cognitive function in people with long-standing epilepsy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify who with chronic epilepsy is at higher risk for faster brain aging and guide earlier monitoring or protective strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous imaging studies have linked epilepsy to cognitive decline and PET/MRI can detect aging biomarkers, but using these combined measures specifically to show accelerated brain aging in long-term focal epilepsy is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcmillan, Alan Blair — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Mcmillan, Alan Blair
Related research
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Brain aging and thinking in older adults with epilepsy
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Investigating brain aging and cognition in older adults with epilepsy
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Investigating how chronic epilepsy affects brain aging
This study is looking at how chronic epilepsy might speed up brain aging and is for people with epilepsy who want to understand how their condition could affect their brain health over time.
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Scaling Up Task-Shifted Epilepsy Care for Children in Africa
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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.