Fast imaging of tiny brain blood vessels in Alzheimer's
High-Speed Imaging of Cortical and White Matter Microvascular Flow in AD/ADRD Models
This work uses very fast 3-D imaging to watch blood flow in the smallest brain vessels in Alzheimer's models to learn how circulation problems might harm thinking and memory.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10699914 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use mouse models that mimic Alzheimer's and cutting-edge high-speed 3-D imaging to observe blood flow in individual microvessels in both the cortex and white matter. The team watches events like capillary stalls, narrowing of capillaries by support cells, and how those local events change flow up- and down-stream through vessel networks. By measuring many vessels at once, they aim to detect tiny, intermittent pockets of reduced blood supply that standard methods miss. The approach seeks to link these microvascular events to broader perfusion changes that could contribute to neurodegeneration.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: There is no patient enrollment for this preclinical work—experiments are done in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.
Not a fit: Patients looking for direct treatment options or opportunities to participate will not benefit immediately since this is laboratory research in animals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal how small-scale blood flow problems contribute to Alzheimer's and point to new ways to protect or restore brain circulation.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies have reported capillary stalls and impaired neurovascular coupling in Alzheimer's models, but applying high-speed, network-level 3-D imaging to capture these events is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Ithaca, United States
- Cornell University — Ithaca, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schaffer, Chris B — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Schaffer, Chris B
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.