# Neurodevelopment in children from families with genetic frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2024 · $50,664

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The current conceptualization of genetic frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is that
they are neurodegenerative diseases with symptoms developing later in life. Yet, studies in animal models
support the notion that autosomal dominant genes whose mutations cause these diseases play critical roles in
neurodevelopment. Previous studies show that young adult presymptomatic carriers for FTD and AD mutations
show detectable differences in the neural circuits that are also targeted during the symptomatic phase. It
remains unknown how early these abnormalities start and the extent to which children with these mutations
may show clinical overlap with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD),
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and language-based learning disabilities (LBLD). Studying
children with FTD and AD mutations offers a unique model to evaluate lifelong neural circuit vulnerability since
each disease targets distinct neural circuits. At the UCSF Dyslexia Center, we will cross-sectionally study
children from families with a known genetic mutation for FTD or AD and compare them children with ASD,
ADHD, and LBLD. Aims 1 and 2 will compare children carrying a genetic mutation for FTD and children
carrying a genetic mutation for AD with noncarrier family members to identify differences in brain structure and
neural network connectivity. Aim 3 will explore comparisons between mutation carriers and children with ASD,
ADHD, and LBLD. Upon completion, we will have identified how early disease-specific neural circuit
differences arise in genetic FTD and AD. These findings will reveal important insights into the underlying
biology of these diseases and when biomarker differences develop during the lifespan for genetic FTD and AD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11017199
- **Project number:** 3R01AG071756-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** SUZEE EURIE LEE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $50,664
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-02-15 → 2027-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11017199

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11017199, Neurodevelopment in children from families with genetic frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (3R01AG071756-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11017199. Licensed CC0.

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