StrokeCog-BBB to Study Cognitive Outcomes Following Stroke
Stanford University
Summary
The goal of this observational study is to learn about cognitive outcomes in stroke patients. The main question it aims to answer are: 1. Is blood-brain barrier permeability compromised for years after stroke, 2. Is a blood biomarker of imbalanced angiogenesis dysregulated in chronic stroke and 3. Are there biomarkers that separately or together predicts cognitive decline after stroke, and are other MRI, blood, and clinical characteristics that are associated. Participants will undergo cognitive testing and MRIs two years apart. Researchers will compare cognitive outcomes in non-stroke patients who have cardiovascular risk factors to understand the effects of stroke on these outcomes.
Description
Post-stroke dementia is an important and understudied component of the vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia. Having a stroke approximately doubles the risk of incident dementia for at least a decade afterwards, even after accounting for other vascular risk factors of dementia and the initial effects of the stroke lesion on cognition. Also, silent strokes occur in nearly half of all aging individuals and are associated with dementia. It has been established in wildtype mice that stroke triggers chronic neuroinflammation in the stroke scar and connected brain regions, and…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 45–90 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 45 years or over * One or more vascular risk factors (e.g. high blood pressure, diabetes or vascular disease such as angina, a previous heart attack, a heart bypass or peripheral artery disease in the legs) * Established vascular disease (previous MI, angina, vascular stent in the peripheral bed) * Sufficiently fluent in written and spoken English * Living independently in the community * Willing/able to give consent to study participation. Exclusion Criteria: * Current treatment with IL-1 blockade or established immune-suppressant therapy (e.g. IL-1Ra or IL-1 ant…
Interventions
- Diagnostic TestDCE-MRI
Both groups will undergo DCE-MRIs.
Location
- Stanford University HospitalPalo Alto, California