Alzheimer's disease is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by accumulation of clumps (also called plaques) and bundles of fibers (also called tangles) in the brain, for which there is currently no cure. Sirolimus (Rapamycin) is an FDA-approved medication which may improve the blood flow to the brain. The purpose of the clinical trial is to find out whether sirolimus can help improve blood flow and energy use in the brain in women ages 45 to 65 who have the ApoE4 gene, a gene which increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease later in life. There will be two arms in this trail, a sirolimus arm and a placebo arm. A placebo is a pill that looks like the study drug, but it does not have any real medicine in it. Participants will be randomized to one arm or the other, but not to both arms. Three study visits over a 12-week period are required. Participants will: (i) Complete some questionnaires about how well you think; (ii) Complete genetic testing for the ApoE4 gene; (iii) Have blood work, blood pressure and height and weight collected; (iv) Take either Sirolimus or a placebo daily, by mouth, for approximately 4 weeks; (v) Keep a diary of when the sirolimus or placebo is taken; (vi) Complete 2 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) exams
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
225
Participants in Sirolimus arm will receive Sirolimus.
Participants in the Placebo arm will receive Placebo
University of Missouri
Columbia, Missouri, United States
Change in Cerebral Blood Flow as measured by MRI
Rate of blood perfusion expressed as mL/100g/min globally and regionally
Time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks
Measure the change in plasma Marker-cytokine using a Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) analyzer.
Time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks
Measure baseline to post-treatment changes in Plasma Markers-AD pathology using a Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) analyzer
Time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks
Measure brain function connectivity by fMRI
Time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks
Measurement of blood brain barrier by MRI
Time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks
Measurement of brain oxygenation by MRI
Time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks
Measurement of glucose uptake in the brain by PET imaging
Glucose uptake in the brain globally and regionally
Time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks
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