# Characterization of the Neuroinflammation in Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease Using Neuro-Inflammation Imaging

> **NIH NIH R03** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $157,500

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Mounting evidence shows that immune system-mediated actions and neuroinflammation may
contribute as much (or more) to Alzheimer disease (AD) pathogenesis as beta-amyloid and
neurofibrillary tangle markers. Reliable, safe, and readily repeatable neuroinflammation tests
during disease development have brought significant challenges in mechanistic research and
therapy development. To address this unmet need, we developed neuro-inflammation
imaging (NII), a quantitative imaging solution for neuroinflammation test. Based on diffusion
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), NII allows us to non-invasively, non-radioactively
characterize the spatial distribution and temporal progression of neuroinflammation. The
primary goal of this project is to cost-effectively characterize the role of neuroinflammation in
AD using NII by retrospectively analyzing previously collected diffusion MRI data from the
unique autosomal-dominant Alzheimer's disease (ADAD) cohort. Even though a relatively small
proportion of cases of AD, ADAD present the similar pathological features to sporadic AD, has a
predictable age at onset and low vascular risk factors due to the young age of the cohort, which
makes the cohort very unique to determine the temporal evolution of neuroinflammation that
culminates in AD. In this project, the trajectory of NII neuroinflammation biomarkers during the
natural course of ADAD will be characterized and determined. The associations between whole-
brain NII neuroinflammation biomarkers and CSF inflammation measures (sTREM2 and YKL40)
will be examined. And the relationships among neuroinflammation measured by NII, amyloid
deposition, and tauopathy measured by PET tracers will also be assessed. The successful
retrospective analysis of previously collected diffusion MRI data in ADAD using NII will
significantly enhance our understanding of the role of neuroinflammation in the initiation and
progression of AD. The integration of NII neuroinflammation biomarkers into the DIAN and other
clinical trial studies will provide neuroinflammation surrogate biomarkers complementary to
other pathological measures for better AD diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10196311
- **Project number:** 1R03AG072375-01
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** QING WANG
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $157,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10196311

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10196311, Characterization of the Neuroinflammation in Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease Using Neuro-Inflammation Imaging (1R03AG072375-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10196311. Licensed CC0.

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