How do faulty blood vessels impact brain function in dementia?

Lead Investigator: Dr Harry Pritchard

Institution: University of Manchester

Grant type: Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Research Leader Fellowship

Start date: April 2024

Duration: 5 years

Amount: £547,246.76

Project summary

Dr Harry Pritchard will develop new animal models to study the mechanisms behind reduced blood flow to the brain in Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Through his work, Dr Pritchard aims to understand the mechanisms of the disease and the relationship between reduced blood flow to the brain and dementia symptoms. This could help us identify and explore potential therapeutic avenues for dementia.  

Project background

Maintaining healthy blood flow to the brain is important for its function, as the brain is a highly active organ which requires a huge amount of energy. Blood vessels are equipped with processes that regulate the optimum blood flow. This delivers oxygen and nutrients to the brain and clears away toxic waste products.  

Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia are the two most common types of dementia. A common trait in both is a reduction in blood flow to the brain. This can take place even before memory loss is detected.  

The reduction in blood flow to the brain means that the brain does not have enough supply of oxygen and nutrients, and the brain cannot clear away the toxic waste products leading to their build-up. These combine to damage the brain tissue, and lead to areas of the brain dying, causing the symptoms of dementia.  

Previous research by Dr Pritchard showed that in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, a specific protein becomes inactive, causing the blood vessels to not work properly. This results in a limited blood supply to the brain. The faulty protein is known as the BK ion channel. This ion channel is located on the muscle cells within the walls of blood vessels and helps the blood vessels to control blood flow.  

What does this project involve?

Dr Pritchard and his team will create a new mouse model, which will mimic the faulty ion channel found in Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. The researchers will establish whether restoring the blood flow in this model would help with restoring the cognitive function. Through his research, Dr Pritchard aims to determine the processes behind the reduction in blood flow to the brain, and how they relate to dementia symptoms.

How will this project help people with dementia?

This project will develop a new animal model of dementia, which could in the future be used by other researchers to advance their work and our knowledge of the mechanisms of dementia.  

By closely monitoring the effects of blood flow on dementia symptoms, Dr Pritchard aims to understand the disease processes of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. This work could open a whole new field of potential treatment targets for dementia.