Using MRI to assess blood vessel health in aging and Alzheimer's patients
Official title: Clinically feasible functional MRI providing independent assessments of cerebrovascular stiffness and microcirculation in typical aging and Alzheimer's Disease cohorts
Funded at Purdue University · NIH-10915451 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the health of your blood vessels affects memory and thinking in people with Alzheimer's and those who are aging normally, using special MRI scans to gather important information that could help improve treatments for Alzheimer's.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project start | August 14, 2023 |
| Project end | August 13, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $53,974 |
| NIH project number | 5F30AG084336-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10915451 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include older adults, particularly those showing early signs of cognitive impairment or diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with no cognitive impairment or those with other forms of dementia unrelated to Alzheimer's may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how cerebrovascular health, specifically arterial stiffness and microcirculation, impacts Alzheimer's disease and typical aging. By utilizing advanced functional MRI techniques, the study aims to measure these vascular properties in large datasets from aging individuals and Alzheimer's patients. The goal is to better understand the relationship between vascular health and cognitive function, potentially leading to improved interventions for Alzheimer's disease. Patients will undergo MRI scans to gather data that could inform future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better diagnostic tools and treatment strategies for Alzheimer's disease by highlighting the importance of vascular health.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in using MRI techniques to assess vascular health, indicating that this approach could yield valuable insights into Alzheimer's disease.
Where this research is happening
-
Purdue University
West Lafayette, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wright, Adam M — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Wright, Adam M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Lipids and brain aging in Alzheimer's disease
Aims to understand how lipids in the body relate to aging of the brain and Alzheimer's disease by studying blood and brain-related lipid patterns.
-
Metabolic clues from lipids in aging and Alzheimer's disease
A lipid-focused research effort is exploring how fat-related molecules influence brain aging and Alzheimer's disease to uncover new ideas for care.
-
Metabolic clues from lipids to understand aging and Alzheimer’s disease
This grant studies how lipids in the body relate to aging of the brain and the risk and progression of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
-
Team science approach to study aging and Alzheimer’s disease with machine learning and functional genomics
A combined team effort will use advanced computer models and brain cell data to understand how aging influences Alzheimer’s disease.
-
Brains aging and Alzheimer’s disease: a multi-scale MRI and biology study
Researchers will combine advanced diffusion MRI and biological data to better understand how aging relates to Alzheimer’s disease in people, aiming to spot early signals that may lead to prevention.
-
Studying how aging and Alzheimer’s affect the front part of the brain using real-time imaging and computer models
Researchers will combine live brain imaging in animals with computer simulations to understand how aging and Alzheimer’s disease change the prefrontal cortex and relate to memory and thinking problems.
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.