This project falls within the scope of basic and clinical research on brain diseases in traditional Chinese medicine internal medicine. The kidney holds a very important position in traditional Chinese medicine, being considered the foundation of congenital constitution. The kidney is responsible for storing essence, which transforms into kidney qi that circulates throughout the body, promoting growth, development, reproduction, and aging of the human body. Kidney qi is the driving force behind all life activities; its strength or decline is directly related to longevity. As kidney qi weakens, the body gradually ages, known as 'kidney deficiency aging.' The changes in essence and qi within the kidney are closely related to the brain marrow. Senile dementia, also known as Alzheimer's disease (AD), is a brain disease associated with aging. The project team bases its research on the theoretical foundations of 'the kidney as the foundation of congenital constitution,' 'kidney deficiency aging,' and 'the kidney stores essence, which nourishes marrow and is connected to the brain.' Under modern research conditions, the connotations and applications of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) kidney theory in physiology and pathology have been explored. Over the past decade, a series of studies on embryonic stem cells, cellular aging, and senile dementia with interventions using kidney-tonifying/bone marrow-nourishing herbs have been conducted, resulting in five technological innovations: 1. In terms of physiology, understanding embryonic stem cells from the perspective of TCM kidney theory, research has confirmed that kidney-tonifying herbs can regulate the proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and cell cycle of embryonic stem cells, as well as the expression of genes such as Wnt, Oct4, Notch, and p16. This has provided new clues and scientific foundations for the study of TCM kidney theory. 2. In terms of pathology, combining the theory of kidney deficiency with aging with cellular aging, it has been confirmed that kidney-tonifying bone marrow-nourishing herbs can inhibit the expression of genes such as p53, p21, and p16, intervene in the cell cycle, and delay cellular aging. This reveals the cytological basis of the kidney deficiency aging theory and the molecular mechanisms of kidney tonification in preventing aging. 3. In terms of disease prevention and treatment, the project team has repeatedly studied, refined, and established a traditional Chinese medicine compound for kidney nourishment and marrow regeneration based on the academic thoughts of Professor Zhang Xuewen, a master of traditional Chinese medicine. This compound has been long-term applied in the prevention and treatment of senile dementia with definite therapeutic effects. Additionally, research on the formulation and quality standards of this compound has been completed, and a national new drug clinical research approval has been applied for. 4. In terms of the mechanism of therapeutic effects, it has been confirmed that kidney nourishment and marrow regeneration traditional Chinese medicine can delay brain aging, improve the structural and functional changes in the brains of patients with senile dementia, and regulate abnormal cell cycle and related gene expression caused by Aβ; it has been clarified that kidney nourishment and marrow regeneration traditional Chinese medicine has a protective effect on Aβ-mediated neural damage, as well as its molecular mechanism: negative regulation of ROS → Cyt-C → Caspase-3 signal transduction; this provides a new scientific basis for early intervention and repair of pathological damage in senile dementia. 5. In terms of early clinical prevention and treatment, through ten years of literature research and a survey of 150 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment, the distribution characteristics of TCM syndromes and cognitive impairment features in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment were clarified, and the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine for kidney-tonifying and marrow-nourishing in the treatment of amnestic mild cognitive impairment was confirmed. A randomized controlled study of 100 patients with senile dementia confirmed that the combination of kidney-tonifying and marrow-nourishing traditional Chinese medicine with donepezil hydrochloride tablets was superior to using donepezil hydrochloride tablets alone in terms of the Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale, and cognitive part of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale. A randomized controlled study of 72 patients with non-dementia vascular cognitive impairment showed that kidney-tonifying and marrow-nourishing traditional Chinese medicine can improve patients' cognitive assessment scales such as the Mini-Mental State Examination, compared with donepezil hydrochloride tablets. They have an advantage in the assessment of daily living ability and TCM symptom scores. The research results include 48 published papers, 2 of which are SCI papers. The papers have been cited 273 times, with others citing them 220 times. They have participated in 10 domestic and international academic exchanges, trained 8 graduate students; obtained 1 national invention patent (Patent No.: ZL200810204715.3), and applied for 1 national TCM new drug clinical research approval (Acceptance No.: CXZL1300093 Shanghai). The project's research results have been applied by multiple hospitals, research institutions, and communities, generating good social benefits.