OPtimising mulTImodal MRI markers for use as surrogate markers in trails of Vascular Cognitive Impairment due to cerebrAl small vesseL disease (OPTIMAL)

 

The aim of this project, funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK, is to determine the sensitivity of MRI parameters and identify the most clinically relevant MRI markers in order to provide a combined MRI measure which can predict cognitive changes and progression of clinical endpoints (such as dementia) in a relatively short time period. This could potentially increase the power of clinical trials to detect treatment effect of vascular cognitive impairment due to cerebral small vessel disease.

 

In order to achieve this aim, we will use three studies with multimodal MRI markers measured at different time points. The discovery dataset would be a cohort study called SCANS (121 participants and 5 years follow-up) and we will use two validation dataset called RUN DMC (a cohort study, 503 participants, 3 follow-up time points) and PRESERVE (A Randomised Clinical Trial, 100 participants, two treatment strategies, two years follow-up).

 

We will find the most efficient ways of using MRI markers for use in clinical trials. The findings will be of great use to researchers and drug companies for studies in vascular dementia and will help to speed up the identification of potential treatments to delay these devastating disease.