What anemia does to brain blood flow and oxygen use
Official title: Mechanisms of cerebral infarcts and brain oxygen utilization in anemia
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11326224 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study at Vanderbilt will look at how anemia changes tiny blood flow in the brain and how that affects oxygen use, to understand why strokes or brain injury may occur in people with anemia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $431,490 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS123281-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11326224 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults and children with anemia, including those with sickle cell disease, Alzheimer's disease, or other relevant brain conditions, who can undergo MRI.
✕Less likely to help
People without anemia or brain conditions may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
This project explores how capillary blood flow changes in the brain when someone has anemia and how that affects oxygen delivery to brain tissue. Researchers will use imaging methods like ASL MRI to measure cerebral blood flow and oxygen extraction in both adults and children. The goal is to connect rapid capillary transit with alterations in oxygen use and to see if transfusions or other treatments improve these brain oxygen dynamics. By studying people with conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and sickle cell anemia, the work aims to identify markers that reflect brain oxygen delivery and potential targets to prevent brain injury.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to better monitoring and treatment strategies to protect brain oxygenation in people with anemia.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has linked capillary flow patterns to oxygen delivery in several brain conditions, suggesting this approach is promising but requires confirmation in diverse patient groups.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Donahue, Manus J — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Donahue, Manus J
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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.