Brain-wave markers to predict thinking problems after a small stroke
Official title: Digital Biomarkers for Vascular Cognitive Decline in Patients with Minor Stroke
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11297638 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is seeing if patterns in brain recordings (MEG and EEG) can predict which people with small strokes will develop lasting problems with attention, thinking, or processing speed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,442,651 |
| NIH project number | 4RF1AG079324-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11297638 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults who recently had a small (minor) ischemic stroke and are experiencing new difficulties with attention, thinking, or processing speed.
✕Less likely to help
People with large or severe strokes, established non-vascular dementia, or those unable to undergo MEG/EEG recordings are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
You would have noninvasive brain recordings (MEG and EEG) soon after your minor stroke and again during follow-up visits. Researchers will use deep learning to compare brain-network patterns in people who recover versus those who have lasting cognitive problems. The goal is to build a model that ultimately works with inexpensive EEG alone so the test could be used widely. If the model works, it could let doctors identify at-risk patients early and offer treatments or support sooner.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could allow early identification of people likely to develop lasting vascular cognitive problems so treatment or support can begin sooner.
How similar studies have gone: Previous MEG and EEG studies show stroke can disrupt brain networks and suggest promise, but combining multimodal recordings with deep learning to predict long-term decline is relatively new and not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Marsh, Elisabeth Breese — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Marsh, Elisabeth Breese
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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.