White matter and myelin damage in Alzheimer's
Mechanism of white matter pathology in Alzheimer's disease
This project looks at whether problems in certain brain support cells' energy use and inflammation cause white matter damage in people with Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Case Western Reserve University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11238889 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, the team is trying to understand why the brain's white matter and myelin break down early in Alzheimer's. They will study brain tissue from people with Alzheimer's and use mouse models to compare which cells and proteins change during disease. The researchers will use single-cell and protein-level analyses and focus on oligodendrocytes, an energy enzyme called HK1, and an inflammatory pathway (NLRP3) that may drive cell loss. By linking these findings across human samples and animals, they hope to identify processes that could be targeted to protect myelin.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease who can donate clinical samples or participate in related biospecimen collections tied to the research.
Not a fit: People without Alzheimer's or those seeking an immediate treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic-mechanism research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to protect myelin and slow cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer's.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked white matter loss and oligodendrocyte problems to Alzheimer's, but targeting HK1-dependent metabolism and OL inflammasome activity is a relatively new approach with limited prior human-targeted results.
Where this research is happening
Cleveland, United States
- Case Western Reserve University — Cleveland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Qi, Xin — Case Western Reserve University
- Study coordinator: Qi, Xin
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.