PhD student Hing Tim Fung

Hing Tim Fung is excited to be a part of the Alzheimer’s Society DTC for Vascular and Immune contributors to dementia. Hing is asking:

Can blood tests help us predict changes in memory and thinking after a stroke? 

Individuals who experience a stroke face a significantly higher risk of developing dementia, particularly after recurrent or severe strokes.

My research explores how blood tests can help understand and predict changes in memory and thinking after a stroke, by combining this information with brain scans and cognitive assessments.

Tell us about your project

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, and it has become steadily more common over recent decades. Not all stroke survivors who experience changes to their memory and thinking skills will go on to develop dementia. We don’t fully understand why this varies between individuals and understanding these differences could be the key to helping patients after a stroke.

One promising area of research is blood biomarkers, substances in the blood that can provide information about changes in the brain that may indicate the disease which causes dementia.  

A blood test is a much cheaper and faster alternative to brain scans or detailed cognitive tests. Specific biomarkers related to brain cell damage, inflammation, and Alzheimer’s disease have the potential to reveal how stroke impacts thinking and memory skills over time.  

Through my work, I aim to explore these biomarkers in stroke patients to better understand why some recover their thinking and memory skills whilst others do not.

How will this research impact people living with dementia?

The findings from this study have the potential to fill critical gaps in our understanding of stroke recovery and its link to dementia. By identifying and validating blood biomarkers, we could provide an easier and less invasive way to monitor patient’s recovery and detect early signs of changes to memory and thinking skills. This would reduce reliance on expensive brain scans or lengthy tests, making it easier for healthcare providers working in over stretched settings to support people who have had a stroke and may be at risk of dementia.

For those affected by dementia or those at risk, this research could help us to identify memory and thinking problems earlier and allow people to access the support they may need. Understanding how and why changes in memory and thinking vary between individuals after stroke might help us develop new treatments or therapies that can slow or prevent dementia.

Critically, insights from this research could improve how we support stroke survivors and their families, offering them clearer guidance and hope for their recovery journey.

What does it mean to you to be a part of an Alzheimer's Society Doctoral Training Centre?

I feel very fortunate to be part of the Alzheimer’s Society Doctoral Training Centre!  

Additionally, the Alzheimer’s Society provides unique opportunities to connect with communities and individuals I may not typically encounter whilst working in academia, giving my research a greater depth of purpose and impact.

Being part of a large, well-established network of researchers is inspiring, as it creates a fantastic environment for sharing information, exchanging ideas, and fostering innovation across multiple academic institutions.