Name of Fellow

    Prof. dr. G.J.Biessels

    Institution

    Funder

    ZonMw

    Contact information of fellow

    Country

    The Netherlands

    Title of project/programme

    Microvascular function and brain networks: Keys to understanding the vascular burden in dementia

    Source of funding information

    ZonMw

    Total sum awarded (Euro)

    € 1,500,000

    Start date of award

    01/08/16

    Total duration of award in years

    5.0

    The project/programme is most relevant to:

    Alzheimer's disease & other dementias

    Keywords

    Vasular dementia | small vessel disease | magnetic resonance imaging | cognition | brain networks

    Research Abstract

    My research interest is on vascular cognitive impairment(VCI); cognitive dysfunction due to vascular disease.
    My ambition is to increase insight in underlying disease processes, improve detection of the vascular burden in
    dementia –in research and clinical practice– and optimize treatment. Intensive collaboration with national and
    international partners is a cornerstone of my work.
    The role of microvascular brain lesions in VCI has been a particular focus. In my Vidi program I used the unique
    properties of 7T MRI to zoom in on these lesions. We have been able, for the first time, to detect cerebral
    microinfarcts in vivo. Within 2 years we have translated microinfarct-detection to 3TMRI. This now enables
    widespread dessimination of the technique and we are currently studying causes and consequences of these
    lesions in international collaborations. Our studies on VCI involve several other innovative markers of
    microvascular abnormalities and parenchymal damage on 3&7T MRI. The importance of this work is receiving
    international recognition.
    Cognition and dementia in people with type 2 diabetes(T2DM) is another key topic. My group has characterized
    the severity and trajectories of stages of cognitive dysfunction in T2DM and established underlying structural
    brain changes with MRI. In the context of my Vidi program we have established a risk score that allows
    individualized prediction of 10-years dementia risk in patients with T2DM. We also validated screening tools for
    DM-related cognitive impairment in primary care and I am PI in two RCTs on prevention of cognitive decline in
    T2DM, one of which employs our risk score.

Types: Fellowships
Member States: Netherlands
Diseases: Alzheimer's disease & other dementias
Years: 2016
Database Categories: N/A
Database Tags: N/A

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