Award
NIH Reporter #5P01AG025204-19
Imaging brain fluid dynamics in relation to reactive astrogliosis and cerebral amyloid accumulation
Recipient
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Award Amount
$591,741.00
Ceiling
$591,741.00
Awarded
March 30, 2026
Identifier
5P01AG025204-19
NIH funded research project at University of Pittsburgh to study brain fluid dynamics, reactive astrogliosis, and amyloid-beta deposition in aging and Alzheimer's disease using advanced neuroimaging techniques.
Description
This project aims to investigate the mechanisms linking reactive astrogliosis, brain fluid dynamics (BFD), and amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition in the context of aging and Alzheimer's disease. Using advanced neuroimaging techniques, including 7T MRI and PET imaging with specific tracers, the study will characterize in vivo BFD, reactive astrogliosis, and Aβ deposition in a cohort of 300 older adults. The research will focus on brain fluid pulsatility at cardiac, respiratory, and vasomotion frequencies, ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) efflux, perivascular space morphology, reactive astrogliosis via MAO-B PET tracer, and Aβ deposition via 11C-PiB PET. The study aims to identify neuroimaging markers that predict Aβ deposition and elucidate pathways for targeted therapies to prevent Alzheimer's disease.