A multidisciplinary team within the Carver College of Medicine has earned a two-year, $575,000 grant from the Ann Theodore Foundation to study cognitive dysfunction in people with sarcoidosis. The team is led by primary investigators Nabeel Hamzeh, MD, professor in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Occupational Medicine, and Karin Hoth, PhD, professor of Psychiatry; and co-investigators Jacob Simmering, PhD, assistant professor in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Occupational Medicine, and Vincent Magnotta, PhD, professor of Neuroradiology.

“The primary goal of the proposed project is to conduct the first study in sarcoidosis investigating the underlying changes in the brain neurobiology, secondary to peripheral inflammation, and its impact on objective cognitive function,” Hamzeh said.

Perceived cognitive problems are common in people living with sarcoidosis, a rare inflammatory condition that causes one’s immune system to overreact and form lumps or nodules inside and outside the body. In addition to these inflammatory cells, sarcoidosis can also produce fatigue and weight loss, as well as symptoms that afflict the lung, skin, eyes, and heart. Nearly 50 percent of people with sarcoidosis also report cognitive deficits that impair their quality of life and productivity.

Currently, the cause of this reported cognitive dysfunction in patients living with sarcoidosis is poorly understood. To address this gap in knowledge, Hamzeh and his team will use advanced multimodal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure brain metabolism as a non-invasive surrogate for assessing neuronal biology and health.

“We will investigate the impact of changes in brain neuronal health on objective, comprehensive cognitive function, while integrating markers of peripheral inflammation, clinical characteristics and other comorbid conditions that may impact cognitive function,” Hamzeh said.

Because it is the first study of its kind, outcomes will inform future scientific discovery for people living with sarcoidosis, including the opportunity to practically apply findings to clinical trials and practice.