What causes lacunar stroke? A 7T magnetic resonance imaging study
Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is a disease affecting the small blood vessels of the brain. It can lead to a lacunar stroke – a type of stroke which happens when one of the small blood vessels deep within the brain becomes blocked. The underlying causes of SVD and lacunar stroke are poorly understood and there are limited specialised treatments. A major problem is that the affected blood vessels are so small that it has not been possible to take pictures of them in living people. However, a powerful magnetic resonance imaging scanner (7T-MRI) has been developed which has allowed researchers to see the small blood vessels in the brains of living people for the first time. In a small preliminary study, this new technology was able to detect abnormalities in the small blood vessels of people with SVD. Professor Hugh Markus, an expert in stroke medicine and brain imaging at the University of Cambridge, will now expand on this work by using 7T MRI to study the small vessels in the brains of 100 people with lacunar stroke. The team of researchers aim to find out what type of abnormalities occur in the blood vessels of these people, and how frequently they occur. They will also investigate whether the use of standard MRI and information obtained during routine clinical practice can be used to predict the small vessel abnormalities. Understanding the causes of lacunar stroke could lead to development of better tailored treatment options for people.
Project details
| Grant amount | £317,478 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 01 January 1900 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | PG/19/74/34670 |
| Status | In Progress |
