Alzheimer's Disease: Exercise Therapy and Brain Networks (2022-2023)

More than five million Americans are afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. This number is expected to escalate, as the proportion of older Americans continues to rise. Age, apolipoprotein E (APOE-ε4) and chromosomal sex are well-established risk factors.

Because Alzheimer’s disease has both genetic and environmental causes, considerable research has focused on environmental factors including lifestyle and nutrition as potential therapeutic interventions that might delay or prevent neuropathology and cognitive decline. Recent advances have provided clinical evidence for the efficacy of exercise in preserving brain function in aging humans.

Mouse models provide opportunities to study characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease in well-controlled environments that can help facilitate development of early interventions. In vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used in both humans and mice to identify vulnerable circuits that may predict cognitive decline.

Building on the work of the 2021-2022 team, this project team examined brain structure and function in transgenic mice that develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, evaluating the risk factors of genotype, menopause, sedentariness and a high-fat diet. Their research suggests that chronic exercise can help delay onset and reduce risk of Alzheimer’s.

Timing

Summer 2022 – Summer 2023

Team Outputs

Understanding Risk Factors and Prevention for Alzheimer’s (2023 Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Virtual Showcase)

An Exploratory Investigation in Modeling Human Alzheimer’s Disease to Better Understand the Interaction of Factors in the Development and Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease (poster by Nikhil Gadiraju, Jasmine King, Pradnesh Kolluru, Anna MacFarlane, Isabella Pansini, Divya Reddy, Celine Wang, Alexandra Badea and Christina Williams, presented at Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase, Duke University, April 19, 2023)

Multiple manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication

See earlier related team, Alzheimer's Disease: Exercise Therapy and Brain Networks (2021-2022).
 

Image: Brain Inflammation from Alzheimer's Disease, by National Institute on Aging, NIH, licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Alzheimer's.

Team Leaders

  • Alexandra Badea, School of Medicine-Radiology
  • Christina L. Williams, Arts & Sciences-Psychology and Neuroscience

/graduate Team Members

  • Alex Allphin, Biomedical Engineering-PHD
  • Hae Sol Moon, Biomedical Engineering-PHD
  • Janai Williams, Psychology-PHD, Psychology-AM

/undergraduate Team Members

  • Nikhil Gadiraju, Biomedical Engineering (BSE)
  • Jasmine King, Biomedical Engineering (BSE)
  • Pradnesh Kolluru, Biomedical Engineering (BSE)
  • Anna MacFarlane, Neuroscience (BS)
  • Isabella Pansini, Neuroscience (BS)
  • Divya Reddy, Neuroscience (BS)
  • Celine Wang, Biomedical Engineering (BSE)
  • Eileen Wen, Neuroscience (BS)

/yfaculty/staff Team Members

  • Robert Anderson, Radiology
  • Carol Colton, School of Medicine-Neurology
  • Ali Mahzarnia, Radiology
  • Jacques Stout, School of Medicine-Brain Imaging and Analysis Center
  • Ara Wilson, Arts & Sciences-Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies