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Using Photobiomodulation to Alleviate Brain Hypoperfusion in Alzheimer's Disease

Award Number: R01AG081874
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/15/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2028

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Using Photobiomodulation to Alleviate Brain Hypoperfusion in Alzheimer's Disease - Project Summary Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common and progressive genetic neurodegenerative disorders in the US with more than 5 million people currently living with Alzheimer's disease. A critical gap in knowledge is how vascular brain perfusion dynamics are involved in vascular dementia. This emerging and difficult area of inquiry has limited investigations into the neurovascular system, brain emergent networks, with only indirect applications related to neurological diseases, where the functional role of protein arginine methyltransferases as they relate to brain metabolism, circulation, functional learning and memory are understudied. Here, we seek to investigate protein arginine methyltransferase 4 as an important age and sex-related brain regulatory element to delay vascular cognitive impairment disorders. We recently discovered protein arginine methyltransferase 4 was enhanced in the AD brain in mice and humans. Our central hypothesis is the inhibition of protein arginine methyltransferase 4 via photobiomodulation, a non-invasive therapeutic (808 nm, 35 mW/cm2), can enhance neurovascular coupling, maintain blood-brain-barrier integrity, and attenuate learning/memory deficits in aged 3xTg-AD mice. Therefore, inhibition of PRMT4 in the AD brain can revive microvessel perfusion and hypoperfusion-mediated AD. This is a multi-PI proposal garnering the strengths of Dr. Kevin Lin, a protein arginine methyltransferase expert in cerebral vascular brain perfusion (via two-photon laser scanning microscopy) in various disease states such as AD and stroke/ischemia, and Dr. Quanguang Zhang, an expert in functional behavior outcomes related to AD/ADRD with strengths in photobiomodulation as a clinically relevant therapy.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $582,147 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON	7000 FANNIN ST FL 9	HOUSTON	TX	77030	HARRIS	USA	Aging Research	003	3	6/18/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$47,522
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON	7000 FANNIN ST FL 9	HOUSTON	TX	77030	HARRIS	USA	Aging Research	002	3	3/25/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$534,625
2025	2024	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON	7000 FANNIN ST FL 9	HOUSTON	TX	77030	HARRIS	USA	Aging Research	001	2	3/19/2025	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$499,091
2025	2023	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY	1501 KINGS HWY	SHREVEPORT	LA	71103	CADDO	USA	Aging Research	000	1	3/19/2025	NEW	-$499,091
														Subtotal = $582,147

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $608,751 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON	7000 FANNIN ST FL 9	HOUSTON	TX	77030	HARRIS	USA	Aging Research	001	2	4/22/2024	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$608,751
2024	2023	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY	1501 KINGS HWY	SHREVEPORT	LA	71103	CADDO	USA	Aging Research	000	1	4/20/2024	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $608,751

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $707,320 )
2023	2023	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY	1501 KINGS HWY	SHREVEPORT	LA	71103	CADDO	USA	Aging Research	000	1	5/1/2023	NEW	$707,320
														Subtotal = $707,320

Grand Total All Awards = $1,898,218

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Using Photobiomodulation to Alleviate Brain Hypoperfusion in Alzheimer's Disease

Award Number: R01AG081874

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/15/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 01/31/2028

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