Inflammation in Diabetes and Post-Stroke Dementia (InflamD-PSD)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The role of type 2 diabetes, retinal vasculopathy and inflammation in post-stroke dementia
IRAS ID
358190
Contact name
Liqun Zhang
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
City St.George's, University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Most dementia has a vascular component. The prevalence of dementia is brought forward by 25 years in those with stroke compared with those without. Type II diabetes is an independent risk factor for stroke, especially ischemic stroke. Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of post-stroke dementia, independent of the stroke severity.
Pre-clinical and clinical data have shown that inflammation plays a key role in both the acute and chronic phases of ischemic stroke where brain damage resulting in post stroke dementia. In patients with type II diabetes, chronic hyperglycaemia causes chronic low-grade inflammation. This disrupts the balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory responses, resulting in more severe acute ischemic brain damage. Inflammation after a stroke can last for months or even years, resulting in neurodegeneration. Diabetic retinopathy is also an early diabetes complication, driven by inflammation. Individuals with diabetic retinopathy have 34 % higher risk of incident dementia.
Despite promising preclinical results of anti-inflammation treatments in reduce ischemic brain damage, it's clinical functional outcomes have been inconclusive. There are few studies on the role of inflammation in post-stroke cognitive dysfunction/dementia, and very few in high-risk diabetic stroke patients.
The aims of this PhD project are 1) to characterise the temporal dynamics of inflammation biomarkers in diabetes to establish the role of inflammation in poor diabetic control stroke patients and their outcome; 2) to establish the causal relations between inflammation and post stroke dementia in order to identify high risk patients for post stroke dementia; 3) to correlate the inflammatory biomarkers and history of diabetic retinopathy prior to stroke in order to identify high risk patients early. Focusing on diabetic patients, this study will provide evidence for role of inflammation in post stroke cognitive decline, identify strategies for early screening and intervention to prevent dementia in future.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/YH/0199
Date of REC Opinion
4 Dec 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion