Biomarkers, Risk Assessment, Imaging, and Neurodegeneration in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease (BRAIN-CSVD)

A Cohort Study of Biomarkers, Risk Assessment, Imaging, and Neurodegeneration in Patients With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

The BRAIN-CSVD study is a single-center prospective cohort study focusing on cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD).Patients enrolled in this research will undergo assessments for vascular risk factors, cognitive and other neurological functions, neuroimaging, and biomarkers. The study aims to explore imaging and biomarker predictors of CSVD progression, and the pathophysiological mechanisms of CSVD.

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a common imaging finding in elderly population and can impair cognitive and other neurological functions. Radiologically, CSVD may manifest as white matter hyperintensities, lacunes, cerebral microbleeds, enlarged perivascular spaces and so on. Due to its complex imaging presentations and diverse neurological impacts, current preventive and therapeutic options for CSVD remain limited. This study involves collecting vascular risk factors, assessing global cognitive function, gait, and other neurological functions, performing multimodal MRI scans, and collecting blood samples from CSVD patients. The goal is to identify imaging markers and biomarkers that predict disease progression and to investigate the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age >= 18 years old;
• Cerebral small vessel disease on MR imaging.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cerebral infarction (except lacunar infarcts), cerebral hemorrhage, brain tumors, epilepsy, severe traumatic brain injury, or prior brain surgery;
• Secondary white matter hyperintensities due to inflammatory, toxic causes and so on;
• Contraindications to MRI.