UB nursing faculty member Carleara Weiss continues her work on sleep health with a new grant from the National Institutes of Health to examine the relationship between biomarkers of neurodegeneration, sleep disorders and decline cognitive.

With a $747,000 grant from the National Institute on Aging, Weiss, assistant professor of nursing, will study how nicotinamide riboside (NR), a type of vitamin B3, affects sleep and memory in older adults . She will look at NAD+ levels in the blood and check for signs of brain health.

NAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a molecule found in all living cells that plays an essential role in energy production and cellular repair. NAD+ levels naturally decline with age, which can affect energy levels and cellular function.

The study will also track brain health using biomarkers, including proteins and other indicators of neurodegeneration.

Biomarkers are measurable substances in living organisms that researchers examine to determine how well a person responds to treatment or tissues that show signs of normal/abnormal body processes or diseases.

“Studying biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in association with sleep is essential to improve our understanding of two age-related conditions: sleep disorders and cognitive decline,” says Weiss, who established in recent years as a nationally recognized expert in how sleep affects health. , particularly among vulnerable populations, including older adults, veterans, and people with Alzheimer’s disease.

“Most older people experience these changes as they age; however, little is known about the timeline or prevention pathway in which the combination of these factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers leads to a definitive diagnosis.

“Anyone interested in healthy aging and having difficulty sleeping should closely follow the results of this study. »

Weiss’ ongoing work on the relationship between sleep and health includes projects to create the School of Nursing’s first wet lab. The laboratory will have spacious benches and dedicated space for data collection, as well as state-of-the-art equipment such as ultra-low freezers, PCR, Western blot and multiplex ELISA for biomarker analysis serum, plasma and other tissues. The laboratory, currently in its final stages of renovation, will enable collaboration with the School of Public Health and Health Professions, the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and Yale Medicine.

“It plays an instrumental role in my research,” Weiss says of the lab, “as I study biomarkers of neurodegeneration. Additionally, it opens up opportunities for collaborative research.

Weiss’ previous research tested the feasibility and acceptability of NR for sleep and cognitive function in a small sample group, which she credits with helping her grow as an independent researcher and partner. community.

Building on these initial results, Weiss’ next phase of research will integrate knowledge from the first stage, the new research laboratory and new technologies to examine the complex relationships between sleep, cognitive decline and biomarkers of neurodegeneration .

“I’m particularly interested in people affected by social determinants of health, because they often have the worst outcomes in dementia care,” she says.

Weiss says her ultimate goal is to use research to serve the community.

“As a first-generation Black Latina immigrant,” she says, “I’m building this research to empower others, from the students who join my team to the elderly and their family caregivers who will stay healthier longer. »