How stiff large arteries may damage tiny brain blood vessels and nerve cells
Official title: Quantifying the Influence of Pathological Hemodynamics on Cerebral Microvascular Dysfunction and Neuronal Injury
Funded at University of Delaware · NIH-11191480 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether stiffening of large arteries causes stronger pulsatile blood flow that harms small brain vessels and nerve cells in people at risk for dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Delaware NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | May 15, 2016 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $74,448 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM113125-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11191480 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with early memory problems, mild cognitive impairment, vascular risk factors (like high blood pressure or artery disease), or older adults concerned about dementia risk would be most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose brain disease is driven purely by nonvascular genetic causes or advanced, irreversible neurodegeneration may not benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
Researchers will measure how age-related stiffening of large arteries changes the pattern of blood flow reaching the brain and how those changes affect tiny blood vessels and nearby nerve cells. They will combine blood flow measurements, lab experiments on microvessels and cells, and analysis of brain tissue or clinical data to connect abnormal hemodynamics to microvascular damage. The team aims to pinpoint the cellular steps by which pulsatile stress leads to endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and neuron injury. Results will be used to suggest points where treatments or preventive steps could protect brain microvessels and slow cognitive decline.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or slow dementia by treating arterial stiffness or the harmful blood flow it creates.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked arterial stiffness and abnormal pulsatile flow to cognitive decline, but translating that link into effective treatments is still relatively new and under active study.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Delaware
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Slater, John Hundley — University of Delaware
- Study coordinator: Slater, John Hundley
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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.