Portable brain MRI for detecting Alzheimer's-related changes in rural South Africa
Enhancing Alzheimer's-related research in rural South Africa with portable MRI
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · NIH-11476939
This project brings portable MRI scans to adults in rural South Africa to look for brain changes linked to Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11476939 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This work brings low-field portable MRI into my rural South African community as part of a population study of Alzheimer's and related dementias. Scanners will be deployed near where people live so brain atrophy and blood vessel damage can be seen without traveling to distant hospitals. The images will be processed with new data tools and combined with existing cohort information and biomarkers. The project also aims to build local imaging capacity so future research and care can use MRI locally.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults from the rural South African communities enrolled in the population cohort, especially older adults at risk for or showing signs of cognitive decline.
Not a fit: People who live outside the study communities or cannot attend local imaging visits would not directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could allow earlier and more accessible MRI-based detection of brain changes from Alzheimer's and vascular disease for people in low-resource rural settings.
How similar studies have performed: Portable low-field MRI has shown promise for capturing structural and vascular brain changes in other settings, but applying it to Alzheimer’s research in rural low- and middle-income countries is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: BRICKMAN, ADAM M — COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- Study coordinator: BRICKMAN, ADAM M
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.
Conditions: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus