Unraveling the Causes of White Matter Changes in Aging
Official title: An Integrative Computational Multimodal approach to disentangle Pathophysiologic Heterogeneity of age-related White Matter Hyperintensities
Funded at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center · NIH-11324664 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researchers team will use advanced computer methods to understand why white matter changes happen in aging brains, with a focus on Alzheimer’s-related processes and other brain changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Phoenix, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $775,830 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG089239-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11324664 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults with or at risk for Alzheimer’s disease-related neurodegeneration or cerebrovascular changes.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without aging-related brain changes or dementia-related conditions may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses multimodal computer analyses of MRI data to identify distinct patterns of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and link them to different disease processes, including Alzheimer’s-related neurodegeneration and inflammation. By comparing patterns across individuals, the study aims to tease apart vascular and non-vascular contributors to WMH. The results could inform future therapies and prevention strategies for dementia and cognitive decline in older adults. Participation would be aligned with patients who have or are at risk for Alzheimer’s dementia or related neurodegenerative conditions, under careful ethical oversight.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to more precise risk stratification and targeted approaches to prevent or slow dementia progression correlating with WMH patterns.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work suggests ML-derived WMH patterns better reflect underlying pathology than traditional methods.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center
Phoenix, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Phuah, Chia-Ling — St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Phuah, Chia-Ling
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.