One of the key processes driving Alzheimer’s Disease is inflammation in the brain, the severity of which may predict the severity of disease. Currently, doctors use special brain scans to look for signs of Alzheimer’s Disease, but these scans can’t tell if inflammation is present. This project aims to develop a new brain scan that detects inflammation by tracking how the brain uses a sugar called fructose. When the brain is inflamed, it uses more fructose, so this scan could show where and when inflammation is happening. The team will test this new scan in mice with Alzheimer’s to see if it can help predict how the disease will progress and how well treatments work. If successful, this new approach could lead to earlier and more accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and better ways to monitor and treat it.
