Leaky brain blood vessels after stroke linked to dementia
Official title: BBB Dysfunction in Post-Stroke Dementia
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11395026 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks for MRI signs and blood markers of leaky blood vessels and inflammation in people who had a stroke years ago and may be at risk for memory and thinking problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $142,591 |
| NIH project number | 3R01NS124927-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11395026 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who had a prior stroke (months to years ago), including those with new or worsening memory or thinking problems, would be the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of stroke or those immediately recovering from a new, very recent stroke are unlikely to be helped directly by this work.
What this research studies
If you join, you would get advanced MRI scans that measure blood-brain barrier leakage, blood draws to measure inflammation and angiogenic proteins, and cognitive testing. The team will enroll about 200 people with chronic stroke and 50 comparison participants across Stanford, Columbia, and the University of Manchester. Researchers will compare imaging and blood markers to see whether long-lasting, leaky new blood vessels after stroke relate to later cognitive decline. The project builds on mouse experiments and human autopsy findings that showed persistent inflammation and abnormal vessel growth in stroke scars.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could identify people at higher risk for dementia after stroke and open the door to earlier monitoring or treatments to prevent decline.
How similar studies have gone: Mouse studies and human autopsy work support the idea of chronic post-stroke inflammation and vessel abnormalities, but applying MRI and blood biomarkers to detect late blood-brain barrier leakage in living stroke survivors is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buckwalter, Marion S — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Buckwalter, Marion S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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BBB Dysfunction after Stroke and Risk for Dementia
A study at Stanford will look at whether inflammation after a stroke leads to leaky blood vessels and later dementia, by following stroke survivors and comparing them with people without stroke.
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DNMT3a and oligodendrocyte renewal after stroke
A patient-focused study will explore how a specific gene, DNMT3a, might help repair brain white matter after a stroke to reduce dementia risk.
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BBB Dysfunction after Stroke and Dementia Risk
This NIH grant aims to understand why some people develop dementia years after a stroke by looking at brain inflammation and blood vessel leakage.
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Understanding and reducing cognitive problems after stroke
A study from the University of Michigan aims to see if simple cognitive activities and sleep improvements can lower the risk of developing vascular cognitive impairment and dementia after stroke.
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Post-stroke cognitive decline and dementia: understanding and preventing PSCID
A large NIH project will use real-world data from two million stroke records to better understand how many people develop PSCID and what factors raise that risk, with the goal of guiding prevention and care.
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Environmental stressors and dementia risk across diverse populations
This study asks how everyday environmental stressors like pollution, noise, and access to green spaces affect dementia and stroke risk in adults aged 21 and older.
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.