NIH-funded research R01 grant

Microvascular brain blood flow and CSF cleaning in Lewy body dementia

Official title: Interaction between microvascular function and CSF clearance in Lewy body dementia

Funded at Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger · NIH-11463249 · Data updated 2026-11-12

A non-invasive MRI study in people with Alzheimer's-related dementias will explore how tiny blood vessel pulsations affect brain fluid clearance.

More Dementia research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionHugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Baltimore, United States)
Project startJune 1, 2023
Project endMay 31, 2028
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$768,228
NIH project number4R01AG082257-02
Project IDNIH-11463249 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias who can undergo MRI scanning and participate in imaging studies.

Less likely to help

People who cannot safely undergo MRI or are not suitable for this imaging protocol may not benefit.

What this research studies

This project uses advanced MRI methods to look at how microvascular pulsatility and CSF clearance interact in the brains of people with dementia. The researchers aim to image multiple brain systems in the same subjects and relate these findings to memory and thinking abilities. Results could help explain how blood flow and brain waste removal relate to disease features like amyloid and tau. The study will build on prior work to validate imaging methods against tissue studies to better interpret MRI signals in patients. If successful, the work could pave the way for new imaging biomarkers in ADRD research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to better imaging biomarkers that help diagnose ADRD earlier and track disease progression.

How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests that microvascular and lymphatic changes can be detected non-invasively in dementia, but human in vivo data linking these systems is limited.

Where this research is happening

  • Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger
    Baltimore, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Hua, Jun — Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger
  • Study coordinator: Hua, Jun

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.