Non-invasive imaging of perivascular space fluid movement
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Non-invasive imaging of perivascular space fluid movement
IRAS ID
356583
Contact name
Hugh Markus
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
As we become older, we become worse at clearing waste substances from the brain. This is one of the reasons why we get dementia, as buildup of these substances leads to brain damage. At the moment, it is not easy to find out how well the brain removes the waste substances. The best way is to deliver liquid into the spine. Using a scanner, we watch the liquid moving from the spine into the brain. However, getting the liquid into the spine can be very painful to patients and take a lot of time.
In this study, we want to find a new way: tagging the water molecules in the fluids outside the brain. Then we will use a scanner to follow these tagged water molecules as they move into and throughout the brain. We want to study whether the tagged water moves more slowly in patients with cerebral small vessel disease with cognitive decline compared with healthy volunteers. This study will form the foundation for future investigations of whether this method can detect dementia earlier and help us understand the process of dementia development.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
26/WS/0114
Date of REC Opinion
9 Jul 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion