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Tau Pathology in the Brain After Hip or Knee Replacement Surgery
Sponsor: Uppsala University Hospital
Summary
The goal of this observational study is to study whether major surgery is linked to changes in the brain that are typical of Alzheimer's disease. The study is a prospective observational study that will be carried out in Uppsala University Hospital. Adults aged 55-75 years who are healthy otherwise (ASA1) having a hip or knee replacement under spinal anesthesia, and a comparison group of people of the same age and sex with hip or knee arthrosis who are not having surgery will be included. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the amount of the protein tau in the brain increase in the two years after surgery? * Are changes in tau linked to inflammation in the blood and spinal fluid, and to changes in memory and thinking? Participants will: * Have brain scans (PET and MRI) before surgery and 12 and 24 months later * Give small samples of spinal fluid and blood * Complete memory and thinking tests at the same time points Researchers will compare the surgery group with the non-surgery group to see whether surgery is associated with more tau in the brain and with changes in memory and thinking.
Official title: Surgery and Postoperative Tau Pathology in Humans: A Translational Imaging and Biochemical Study to Explore Surgery-Induced Hallmarks of Alzheimer's Dementia
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
55 Years - 75 Years
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
30
Start Date
2029-04-01
Completion Date
2029-04-01
Last Updated
2026-10-13
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Hip or Knee Arthroplasty Under Spinal Anesthesia
Elective primary hip or knee arthroplasty performed as part of routine clinical care; the procedure and anesthesia are not assigned by the study, and surgery is the exposure of interest. All patients receive spinal anesthesia, with optional light propofol sedation during surgery. No general anesthesia is used. Before the intrathecal injection, 4 mL of cerebrospinal fluid is collected for research as the baseline sample. Tau PET-MR, cognitive testing and blood sampling are performed before surgery, with repeat PET-MR, cognitive testing, CSF and blood sampling at 12 and 24 months after surgery.
Locations (1)
Uppsala University Hospital
Uppsala, Sweden