Clinical Research Studies

The purpose of this study is to see if there is a relationship between energy production in the brain and risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). In healthy cells, the sugars, fats, and proteins we consume are broken down and turned into the energy that allows us to carry on living. This is done in two ways: one way, known as oxidative phosphorylation (or OxPhos), makes more energy, but requires more steps. The other way, known as aerobic glycolysis (or AG), makes less energy, but happens faster, and is useful when the brain or other parts of the body have greater energy demands. While research has shown the consequences of Alzheimer's disease (AD) (deposition of plaques and formation of structures called neurofibrillary tangles in the brain), researchers are still trying to understand the cause. As we learn more about the way the brain makes energy, scientists have questioned whether changes in the brain’s ability to shift from OxPhos to AG to make energy efficiently plays a role in the risk for AD.