Blood flow and brain vessel health in early and later Alzheimer's
Cerebral hemodynamic impairment in symptomatic and asymptomatic Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers will use advanced MRI to look at blood flow and blood-vessel function in younger adults, older adults without Alzheimer's, people with Alzheimer's brain changes but no symptoms, and people with mild Alzheimer's symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11298965 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses a special MRI method to measure cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), a marker of blood-vessel function in the brain. The team will enroll 264 people divided into four groups: healthy young/middle-aged adults, cognitively normal older adults without Alzheimer's pathology, people who have Alzheimer's biomarkers but no symptoms, and people with mild cognitive impairment with Alzheimer's biomarkers. Participants will have MRI scans and other tests at baseline and be followed over two years to track changes in CVR, Alzheimer pathology, and thinking skills. The goal is to learn whether blood-vessel problems interact with Alzheimer changes early on and how each contributes to cognitive decline.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults able to travel to the study site and undergo MRI, including healthy younger adults, older adults without Alzheimer pathology, people with Alzheimer biomarkers but no symptoms, and people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer biomarkers.
Not a fit: People with advanced Alzheimer's dementia, serious medical conditions that prevent MRI, or contraindications to MRI (for example certain metal implants or severe claustrophobia) are unlikely to be eligible or benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help detect early blood-vessel changes tied to Alzheimer's and point to new prevention or treatment strategies.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked cerebrovascular changes to Alzheimer's, but studying CVR in asymptomatic people is relatively new and less tested.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Qiu, Deqiang — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Qiu, Deqiang
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.