The University of Kentucky Research Foundation received a $659,568 Project Grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) under the Aging Research federal grant program (CFDA 93.866) to conduct a Phase I clinical trial on using autologous peripheral nerve tissue implants to maintain cholinergic circuits in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease and related dementias. The 5-year grant, awarded on June 15, 2024, aims to assess the feasibility and safety of bilaterally implanting the reparative nerve tissue into the nucleus basalis of Meynert, a region affected by the loss of cholinergic neurons in these neurodegenerative conditions. As part of the study, the Research Foundation will collaborate with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus to histologically evaluate brain tissue donations from participants to better characterize disease processes and the impact of the investigational cell therapy. This Phase I trial represents a critical step in advancing this approach as a potential treatment to stabilize or maintain cholinergic function in the spectrum of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.
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