Translational neuroimaging in intellectual disability: evaluation of molecular changes associated with aging in Down Syndrome
Description: Down Syndrome (DS) or trisomy 21 is the most common genetic cause of mild to moderate intellectual disability in the world. The life expectancy of DS patients has increased in the last decades and, therefore, the incidence of dementia, especially Alzheimer's Disease (AD) increases in this population, making aging a new and important area of study in DS. Molecular neuroimaging allows in vivo and noninvasive studies of cellular and molecular processes, and therefore, is a very important tool to understand the aging process. This project proposes the creation of a new nucleus of research - translational neuroimaging in intellectual disability - with the initial objective of studying the aging process in DS by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging using specific radiopharmaceuticals for evaluation of neuroinflammation, deposition of beta-amyloid plaques and alterations in white matter, which are known to be altered in postmortem tissue analysis but not yet evaluated longitudinally by in vivo imaging. The study of these parameters will be done in a temporal and translational way, that is, evaluating, longitudinally, the changes throughout the life of DS animal model, and also in different age groups in DS people, as a proof-of-concept study. The characterization of changes in the profile of these processes, as well as the correlation between them, may lead to the identification of critical moments for initiation and therapeutic follow-up, or even development of new therapeutic interventions. (AU)
Funding type: fellowship
Funder scheme: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores
Start date: 2019-02-01
End date: 2024-01-31
Investigator: Daniele de Paula Faria
Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina (FM)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Funded outputs count: 11
Funder award ID: 18/15167-1
OpenAlex ID: G7994929285