Brain blood flow and sugar transport in Alzheimer's with and without type 2 diabetes
Official title: Imaging Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease - an Exploratory PET Study
Run by Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet · NCT07482072 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try to see if patterns of brain blood flow and sugar use differ between people with Alzheimer's disease who do and do not have type 2 diabetes and compared with healthy older adults.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 60 Years to 90 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | Radiation |
| Locations | 1 site (Herlev) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 2026 |
| Study ends | December 2026 |
| Registry record updated | March 19, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07482072 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are older adults with suspected Alzheimer's disease either with or without type 2 diabetes, and healthy age-matched volunteers, who can undergo PET and MRI imaging and cognitive testing.
✕Probably not a fit
People receiving active cancer treatment, with severe claustrophobia, pregnant or breastfeeding, with recent substance abuse, or with major brain disease other than dementia are excluded and unlikely to benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a comparative imaging pilot enrolling 60 participants split into three groups: suspected Alzheimer's without diabetes, suspected Alzheimer's with type 2 diabetes, and healthy age-matched controls (20 per group). Participants will undergo dynamic [11C]PiB PET after acetazolamide to capture early perfusion signals and late-phase β-amyloid load, dynamic [18F]FDG PET with a prebolus and heart scans to measure glucose transport and cerebral metabolic rate of glucose, plus MRI (if not available within five years) and neuropsychological testing. The primary outcome is the volume and overlap of abnormal regions across the imaging biomarkers with diabetes status considered, and secondary outcomes include correlations between a cognitive index score and biomarker volumes. The design aims to identify whether diabetes changes the spatial pattern or severity of perfusion, amyloid, and glucose-metabolism abnormalities in Alzheimer's disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could help identify imaging patterns that signal different disease mechanisms in people with Alzheimer's and diabetes, potentially guiding earlier detection or more tailored management.
How similar studies have gone: Previous PET and MRI studies have shown altered amyloid deposition, perfusion, and glucose metabolism in Alzheimer's disease and in diabetes separately, but the specific combination of acetazolamide-challenged PiB and dynamic FDG to compare diabetic versus non-diabetic Alzheimer's is relatively novel and mostly explored in small pilot work.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * suspected Alzheimer's disease * type 2 diabetes (group A) * able and willing to comply with study protocoil´´l Exclusion Criteria: * type 2 diabetes (group B and C) * significant brain disease apart from dementia (group A and B) * significant vascular or neurological disease (group C) * active cancer treatment * history of alcohol or drug abuse * severe claustrophobia * pregnancy or breastfeeding
Where it's running
-
Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev
Herlev, Denmark Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Lisbeth Marner, MD, DMSc, PhD
- Email: Lisbeth.marner@regionh.dk
- Phone: +4538682041
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Aging Brain Health Initiative in Fujian
This observational study will follow about 3,000 older adults in Fujian to see how Alzheimer's-related changes develop and to test new digital tests, biomarkers, and imaging tools for early diagnosis.
-
Restoring Cervical Lymphatic Drainage in Alzheimer’s Disease
A small study tests whether a minimally invasive surgery to improve cervical lymphatic drainage can affect biomarkers, brain imaging, and cognition in people with Alzheimer's who can’t access other disease-modifying therapies.
-
Occupation-based lifestyle program for adults with type 2 diabetes
A online program tests whether an occupation-focused lifestyle plan helps adults with type 2 diabetes manage daily routines and feel better in life.
-
Home-based gamma-tACS with personalized cognitive training for mild Alzheimer's disease
This study tests a home-delivered combination of gamma-frequency tACS and individualized memory training to see if it helps people with mild Alzheimer's disease.
-
Gut methane and Parkinson's: measuring if a probiotic helps people with Parkinson's, REM sleep behavior disorder, or cognitive concerns
This study tests whether a probiotic containing Limosilactobacillus reuteri can help people with Parkinson's disease, those at high risk for PD, and related cognitive issues by potentially improving gut methane levels and overall symptoms.
-
Downhill walking training for type 2 diabetes
Researchers compare 8 weeks of downhill walking to level-ground walking in adults with type 2 diabetes to see which more improves walking ability and muscle and heart responses.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.