Imperial College London

Academic Institute

Clinical Sponsor is not required

Unknown

Yes

NIBDAPC_2025_0051

We can see the effects of chronic changes to the blood vessels deep inside the brain on a brain scan as people get older. This is called ‘small vessel disease’ but is present in the majority of older people and is often a feature just of ageing. However, when these changes become more severe they are one of the most frequent reasons people have strokes, bleeds in the brain or develop dementia. However, we currently can’t treat these changes as we don’t fully understand why this happens, or what medications to use. This is partly because these changes vary a lot from one person to another and we don’t have good ways of measuring what is wrong with the blood vessels. This research study aims to improve our understanding of cerebral small vessel disease to identify new ways to treat it. In particular, we aim to include a much broader range of people with small vessel disease than in previous studies, which have usually only included people who have already either had a strokes or already have difficulties with their thinking. We will then do more detailed measurements of how their blood vessels work, how the condition affects them, and then to continue to keep in touch with people to understand what medical difficulties they develop in the future.

Cerebral small vessel disease affects more than half of everyone over 65 and is a leading cause of stroke, memory loss, mood disturbances and difficulty walking. Yet it is often only spotted by accident on routine scans, and there are no treatments to slow or prevent its harmful effects. We know this research is an urgent priority for patients and the public for three main reasons. First, the condition touches a very large and growing number of people as our population ages, placing a heavy burden on individuals, families and health services. Second, we have met with focus groups of stroke survivors, people living with vascular dementia and their carers, who gave a clear opinion that the study would help to understand how people are affected by the disease, and help to develop new treatments. Third, doctors and charities working in this area have emphasised the need for research that brings together all forms of the disease—whether or not someone has had a stroke or memory problems—to gain a fuller understanding of what causes it and how it progresses. By studying people with the first signs of this disease on their brain scans, whether they have symptoms or not, our project will reveal its hidden mechanisms, help doctors to identify those at greatest risk and lay the groundwork for new therapies. This work promises to transform diagnosis and care, easing the fear and uncertainty that patients and their families so often face.

Public Health Research

27/10/2025

Not applicable

Not applicable

One-off

TRE