Eye scan to detect tiny blood vessel damage linked to thinking and memory problems
Official title: Novel retinal higher-order capillary hemodynamics imaging for detecting cerebral small vessel disease
Funded at University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-11370753 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new high-speed eye imaging method is being tested to spot tiny blood flow changes that may signal cerebral small vessel disease in people at risk for cognitive decline.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | September 14, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $3,129,149 |
| NIH project number | 3OT2OD038131-01S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11370753 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with vascular risk factors, unexplained cognitive changes, or MRI signs of white matter disease would be the most likely candidates for participation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with severe eye conditions that prevent good retinal imaging or with health issues unrelated to vascular brain disease may not receive direct benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
You would have your retina imaged with a new high-speed, wide-field adaptive optics camera that can watch tiny capillary blood flow using green light. The team will build and fine-tune this AONCO device and then use it to measure higher-order flow dynamics in retinal vessels of different sizes. They will compare those retinal flow patterns with brain MRI findings and cognitive measures to look for signs of cerebral small vessel disease. The project combines device development with human retinal imaging to see whether eye blood flow changes match brain markers and clinical symptoms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable earlier, easier, and noninvasive detection and tracking of cerebral small vessel disease using an eye scan.
How similar studies have gone: Prior retinal imaging studies have linked retinal vessel changes to brain small vessel disease, but this high-resolution capillary flow measurement approach is novel and largely untested in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Miami School of Medicine
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Jianhua — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Wang, Jianhua
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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.