High-resolution imaging of oxygen and blood flow in the eye and brain
Two-photon Imaging of Oxygen and Blood Flow in Retinal and Cerebral Vasculature
Researchers will use advanced two-photon imaging to map oxygen levels and blood flow in the retinas and brains of models of aging and Alzheimer's disease to link eye changes with brain vessel health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11092124 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's viewpoint, the team uses a powerful microscope technique called two-photon fluorescence imaging to measure oxygen tension (pO2) and blood flow down to tiny capillaries in the retina and the brain. They will develop and validate methods to get absolute oxygen and perfusion readings and derive oxygen metabolic rates in major retinal vessels. The work is done mostly in animal models that mimic aging and Alzheimer-type microvascular changes, and the researchers will compare how retinal and cortical microvessels change together over time. The goal is to see whether noninvasive retinal imaging can reflect brain microvascular dysfunction linked to Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, or older adults worried about vascular contributions to cognitive decline would be the likely future candidates for human imaging studies based on this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose conditions are unrelated to cerebral small vessel disease or Alzheimer's pathology may not receive direct benefit from these methods.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to eye-based, noninvasive tests that detect early microvascular changes related to Alzheimer's and help guide earlier interventions.
How similar studies have performed: Previous retinal imaging studies have linked eye microvascular changes to Alzheimer's, but measuring absolute oxygen at subcapillary resolution with two-photon methods is novel and less tested in this context.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sakadzic, Sava — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Sakadzic, Sava
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.