Advanced brain MRI to understand thinking and memory in low-grade astrocytoma
Multimodality Neuroimaging Evaluation of Cognitive Functioning in Lower Grade Astrocytoma
This project uses advanced MRI scans to link brain changes with thinking and quality of life in people with lower-grade astrocytoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173633 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would have a series of advanced MRI scans—including metabolic (steady-state and dynamic), diffusion, perfusion, and resting-state functional MRI—that measure brain metabolism, blood volume, white matter integrity, and brain network activity. The research team will compare these imaging measures with your performance on thinking and memory tests and with quality-of-life questionnaires. The goal is to find imaging patterns tied to tumor- or treatment-related cognitive problems and to improve how tumors are mapped for care decisions. Finding these patterns could create opportunities to personalize treatments and protect thinking and daily function.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults diagnosed with lower-grade (WHO grade II–III) astrocytoma who can undergo MRI scanning and complete cognitive testing are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without lower-grade astrocytoma, those with high-grade tumors, or anyone unable to have MRI (for example, due to certain implants) are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors detect brain changes that predict thinking problems and guide treatments to better preserve cognition.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked MR metabolic and structural changes to cognitive decline in lower-grade gliomas, but combining multiple MRI modalities in this way to predict specific deficits is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Yan — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Li, Yan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.