Heart-to-brain Connection | H2B
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Heart-to-Brain Connection in pre-Heart Failure/pre-Dementia
IRAS ID
273145
Contact name
P.-G. Masci
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 30 days
Research summary
Dementia and heart failure (HF) constitute two of the most worrisome age-related diseases being highly prevalent in the population and characterized by high morbidity and mortality. This figure is rendered even graver by the coexistence of these diseases so that about a third of demented patients also have HF while dementia is diagnosed in about half of heart failure patient.
Throughout this document we will use the term Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia interchangeably as suggested by the most recent scientific evidences. Recent compelling evidence supports the concept that patients with dementia and those with HF share the same risk factors, including hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, low physical activity, socio-economical background, obesity and diabetes. This view is further corroborated by the striking similarities between the pathophysiology of dementia and HF. For instance, the pathobiological hallmark of AD is the accumulation in the brain of an abnormal protein (amyloid). Alike, the deposit of this protein in the heart may cause HF. Preliminary data found amyloid deposits in the heart of AD patients, and the accumulation of amyloid (Aβ) in the heart was associated with initial left ventricular (LV) structural/functional remodelling, a precursor of overt HF. A very long asymptomatic interval (10-15 years) precedes the onset of overt AD (pre-dementia) or HF (pre-HF). During this period, molecular (amyloid aggregate), structural and functional abnormalities accrue in the brain (brain atrophy) and the heart (LV remodelling), and the study of those subjects may open new venues to: i) delve into the mechanisms of disease(s); ii) develop of common preventive and therapeutic strategies. We aim at conducting an observation cross-sectional pilot study to investigate the associative measures of Aβ metabolism, functional and structural remodelling in the brain and heart in subjects with pre-HF/pre-Dementia.REC name
London - London Bridge Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/LO/0858
Date of REC Opinion
22 Dec 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion