NCT06767124

Supplementing Neuro-Energy to Aid Cognition

Simultaneous PET/MR Imaging of Brain Glucose and Oxygen Metabolism to Assess Energy Deficits Related to Alzheimer's Disease and the Response to Intervention

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 17 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 21 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

It is projected that by 2030, one in every five Americans will be of retirement age, and this demographic shift is expected to result in more people suffering from dementia. A key feature of the brain is its need for a constant supply of glucose and oxygen to meet the high energy costs of mental activity. This study aims to develop clinically practical, noninvasive imaging methods based on combined positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging to assess brain energy in order to better understand how this critical component of brain health is impacted by aging.

Detailed description

There are now close to six million people in the Unites States living with dementia and this number is only expected to grow as the population continues to age. The current lack of effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) speaks to the need to better understand the multiple factors that contribute to this complex disease. There is growing evidence that age-related metabolic dysfunction in the brain plays a role in the disease's etiology. This concept has led to treatments aimed at improving brain energy production. Notably, ketogenic dietary supplements have been shown to increase brain ketone metabolism and improve cognitive performance in AD patients. However, the overall benefits to brain metabolism in the AD brain are unknown given the complexity of imaging both oxygen and glucose metabolism in a single session by positron emission tomography (PET). Taking advantage of hybrid PET/MR imaging, this study will combine PET and MRI methods to investigate the effects of a ketogenic supplement on brain oxygen and glucose metabolism in AD patients.

Conditions

• Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Ketogenic Supplement	Commercially available ketone ester drink
OTHER	Placebo Drink	Placebo drink containing sunflower oil.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-05-01
• Primary completion: 2028-02-29
• Completion: 2028-03-31
• First posted: 2025-01-09
• Last updated: 2025-10-14

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada