Grant: Operating Grant

Today, up to 255,000 Canadian seniors suffer from a brain disorder known as vascular dementia. By 2031, the number is expected to rise to upwards of 675,000, primarily due to aging of our population. Vascular dementia is a complex disease that is difficult to define and diagnose. Changes to the small blood vessels in the brain (with diameters of less than 0.6 mm) represent a common element and over time these changes will result in a reduction of brain function, known as dementia. Reduction in brain function is dependent on the location and nature of the blood vessel disease. We propose to develop and evaluate new magnetic resonance imaging-based techniques that can assess the health of these small blood vessels and therefore provide important information about the potential for brain function deterioration. Our methodologies are unique as they are geared to providing quantitative measurements in the brain for variables that are implicated in causing brain changes due to early disease in small vessels. Magnetic resonance imaging is very safe and is an ideal way of repeated scanning the human brain. It uses magnetic field and radio waves, instead of x-rays, to form images. The long-term goal is to develop accurate methods for detecting small vessel disease at an early stage, thus allowing for steps to be taken to avert or delay brain deterioration.