Researchers at the Center for Innovation in Brain Science received a $7.6 million grant to investigate PhytoSERM, a dietary supplement that may be able to treat menopausal symptoms and lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
TUCSON, Arizona —
Dr. Roberta Brinton (photo by Chris Richards, University of Arizona)
A $7.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health is funding a clinical trial to allow researchers in the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center for Innovation in Brain Science to test a plant-based alternative to hormone therapy that may have the potential to reduce symptoms of menopause and risk of Alzheimer’s disease in women.
“Our research has shown that the greater risk for Alzheimer’s in women is not because they live longer than men, but because the disease can start earlier in women, at midlife during their menopausal transition,” said Roberta Diaz Brinton, PhD, director of the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center for Innovation in Brain Science and Regents Professor of Pharmacology in the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson.
During the midlife menopausal endocrine aging transition, multiple Alzheimer’s risk conditions that are consistent with the early phase of the disease can emerge. Some women with menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, disrupted sleep and altered cognitive function, seek estrogen or hormone therapy, which can also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. But the fear of breast cancer leads many women to forego this approach.
To address this critical unmet need in women’s health, Dr. Brinton and her team will use the grant from the National Institute on Aging, a division of the National Institutes of Health, to test the safety and efficacy of PhytoSERM. The “SERM” in PhytoSERM stands for selective estrogen beta receptor modulator which means it promotes estrogenic action in the brain without affecting reproductive tissue, including breasts and the uterus.
“PhytoSERM has the potential to be an alternative to hormone therapy that is safe and efficacious for menopausal symptoms and may reduce risk of Alzheimer’s later in life,” said Dr. Brinton, a member of the university’s BIO5 Institute.
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled efficacy trial will be administered to 100 post- and perimenopausal women aged 45-60. Each year, approximately 1.5 million American women enter perimenopause, a neuroendocrine transition state unique to the female. Globally, there are 850 million women between the ages of 40-60. In the U.S., 45 million women are over the age of 55.
“The Center for Innovation in Brain Science continues to advance our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and its twofold impact on women,” said University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins, MD. “Dr. Brinton and her team are leading the development of effective interventions to reduce the burden of age-related diseases and making a transformational impact on the health of millions of women. This award further illustrates the University of Arizona Health Sciences’ strength in aging research and our commitment to addressing critical health challenges.”
The study, “PhytoSERM Efficacy to Prevent Menopause-associated Decline in Brain Metabolism and Cognition: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Phase 2 Clinical Trial No. 1” is funded by the National Institute of Health’s National Institute on Aging (RO1AG0755122-01).
About the University of Arizona Health Sciences
Located on campuses in Tucson, Phoenix and Gilbert, Ariz., the University of Arizona Health Sciences is one of the top-ranked academic medical centers in the southwestern United States. UArizona Health Sciences includes the College of Medicine – Phoenix, College of Medicine – Tucson, College of Nursing, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, and Health Sciences Global and Online. In addition, 15 UArizona Health Sciences centers and programs focus on cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, pain and addiction, and respiratory diseases; biomedical informatics, health technology innovation and simulation training; and health disparities, precision health care and treatments, and pandemic preparedness. A leader in next-generation education, research, clinical care and public outreach, UArizona Health Sciences employs nearly 5,000 people, has approximately 4,000 students and 900 faculty members, and garners more than $220 million in research grants and contracts annually. For more information: healthsciences.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram).
About the Center for Innovation in Brain Science
The Center for Innovation in Brain Science (CIBS) at the University of Arizona is addressing the challenge that, in the 21st century, there is not a single cure for a neurodegenerative disease. The CIBS team is focused on four age-associated neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis and ALS (or Lou Gehrig’s disease). With expertise spanning discovery, translational, regulatory and clinical science, CIBS is shifting the research paradigm as one of the nation’s leading research centers, pioneering patient-inspired, data-driven approaches to find cures for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. The CIBS mission is to create innovations in brain science of the future for those who need a cure today. Find out more about how CIBS is achieving the vision of vibrant brains that last a lifetime. For more information: cibs.uahs.arizona.edu (Follow us: Facebook | Twitter).