# Characterizing age-related differences in T cell responses to stroke

> **NIH NIH F31** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $42,270

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Aging is the greatest risk factor for vascular dementia, the second most common cause of dementia after
Alzheimer disease (AD). Vascular dementia comprises a large proportion of AD-related dementias, or ADRD.
Vascular dementia is the result of poor vascular perfusion of the brain and can occur as a result of ischemic
stroke, particularly in elderly individuals. The mechanisms underlying the greater risk of vascular dementia in
elderly stroke patients are unclear thus limiting discovery of therapeutic approaches. Studies have shown a
significant post-stroke inflammatory response in the aging ischemic brain that can persist and contribute to
cognitive decline. However, the nature of this persistent immune response, particularly the adaptive T cell
component, is not well characterized and the functions of brain-infiltrating T cells are not well established,
especially in the context of aging. Therefore, this proposal will characterize late T cell responses to stroke in a
mouse model of age-related post-stroke dementia. Aged stroke mice demonstrate a significant cognitive
impairment that is accompanied by T cell infiltration in the post-stroke brain. As T cells undergo vast changes
in immune repertoire and function with aging, it is likely that T cells that traffic to and reside in the post-stroke
brain will have distinct functions that contribute to age-related differences in long-term stroke outcomes. This
research proposal aims to (1) Use single cell T cell receptor and immune response gene sequencing to
characterize infiltrating T cells in the aging ischemic hemisphere (Aim 1); (2) Utilize Seahorse bioenergetics,
metabolomics, and T cell activation assays to identify age-related differences in T cell metabolism which fuel T
cell activation and T cell function (Aim 2); (3) Test the extent to which excessive innate immune responses
characteristic of aging stroke contribute to T cell-mediated cognitive decline, and determine the therapeutic
potential of acutely inhibiting innate immunity to confer a more favorable adaptive immune response (Aim 3).
Understanding how age-related changes in T cells contribute to chronic stroke outcomes will ultimately provide
us with novel therapeutics for elderly patients of vascular dementia.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10900059
- **Project number:** 1F31NS137566-01
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Yoo Jin Jung
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $42,270
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2027-01-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10900059

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10900059, Characterizing age-related differences in T cell responses to stroke (1F31NS137566-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10900059. Licensed CC0.

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