# Senolytics to Improve Cognition and Mobility in Older Adults at Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

> **NIH NIH R21** · HEBREW REHABILITATION CENTER FOR AGED · 2022 · $78,648

## Abstract

Project Summary:
Abnormalities in cognition and mobility are common accompaniments of aging that often
precede the development of Alzheimer's disease. Among their many etiologies, these
abnormalities are associated with alterations in the regulation of cerebral blood flow to frontal
regions of the brain that subserve executive functions and gait speed. We have previously
shown that treatment with cocoa flavanols can improve blood flow in response to a cognitive
task (neurovascular coupling [NVC]), as well as executive function in older people with impaired
NVC. These compounds can also reduce the number of senescent cells and their toxic
secretory products (SASP) in a variety of tissues. In mice, “senolytic” compounds such as
flavanols and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, have been shown to reduce neurofibrillary tangle
density, neuron loss, and ventricular enlargement, and in humans with idiopathic pulmonary
fibrosis, improve gait speed and other functional abilities. Based on these findings, we
hypothesize that the flavanol, Quercetin, and tyrosine kinase inhibitor, Dasatinib, (Q+D) will
improve NVC in response to an executive task, reduce circulating SASP components, and in so
doing, improve cognition and mobility in older adults who are at risk of Alzheimer's disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10551712
- **Project number:** 3R21AG073886-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** HEBREW REHABILITATION CENTER FOR AGED
- **Principal Investigator:** LEWIS LIPSITZ
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $78,648
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-09-15 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10551712

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10551712, Senolytics to Improve Cognition and Mobility in Older Adults at Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease (3R21AG073886-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10551712. Licensed CC0.

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