PhD student Noelia Pérez Ramos

A PhD student, Noelia is excited to be a part of the Alzheimer’s Society DTC for Vascular and Immune contributors to dementia. Her project aims to answer the question:

How do star-shaped brain cells influence blood vessels in the brain after infection in people with dementia? 

Bacterial infections can cause a rapid worsening of memory and thinking skills in hospitalized vulnerable patients. However, we don’t understand the reasons why infections outside the brain cause these problems.

Vascular alterations have been identified as one of the earliest indicators of dementia. I believe that unravelling the mechanisms behind these vascular changes could pave the way for early interventions and more effective strategies to combat dementia.

Tell us about your project

Published evidence suggests that bacterial infections can cause the barrier between our blood vessels and the brain to dysfunction. Blood-brain barrier protects the brain, and acts like a filter, making sure that harmful substances do not enter the brain and cause damage. So, understanding how bacterial infections affect the blood-brain barrier could be key to finding out why infections can cause a decline in thinking and memory skills.

The blood-brain barrier is formed with different types of cells, including astrocytes. Astrocytes are star-shaped cells located in a strategic position that allows them to contact brain blood vessels and interact with other cells in the brain.

Historically, research in this area has primarily focused on neurons. With this project I aim to understand the role that astrocytes play in communication between the body and the brain in response to infections. This could help us understand how infection in the body might be linked to cognitive decline.

I also aim to uncover potential mechanisms that could ease the effects of bacterial infections on the brain.

How will this research impact people living with dementia?

My research has the potential to identify mechanisms that could be targeted to develop treatments for people with dementia experiencing infections. This could lead to a reduction in common infection-related side effects in people living with dementia.

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

Being part of the Alzheimer’s Society Doctoral Training Centre represents an invaluable opportunity to engage in a program that fosters meaningful, bidirectional communication with patients living with dementia and their families.

It also means joining an inclusive organization whose mission aligns closely with my goals as a researcher: to offer hope for the future by advancing our understanding of dementia and generating translational research.