The group partnered with MarkVCID, a multisite consortium funded by the National Institutes of Health, to identify participants to validate biomarkers for the small vessel diseases of the brain that produce vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). 

The overall goal of the consortium is to deliver high-quality biomarkers ready to use in clinical trials aimed at generating scientific breakthroughs in the understanding and treatment of VCID. Results from this study will provide recommendations for future clinical trials on dementia. 

Each study visit will include a blood draw, clinical and health questionnaires, tests of memory and thinking, and a brain scan. 

Participants must be:  

• Between 60 and 90 years old, currently living in the Houston area, and able to attend exams
• Have a diagnosis of normal cognition, subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, or mild dementia based on standard research criteria
• Be fluent in English or Spanish
• Have a vascular risk factor, including diabetes mellitus and/or hypertension
• Be able to have an MRI done
• Not be diagnosed with confounding neurologic, psychiatric, or medical disease

To learn more about brain health, the MarkVCID and DiverseVCID studies, and complete a brief survey for a chance to receive a free brain scan, visit https://www.uth.edu/stroke-institute/research/brain-health-studies

For more information, contact David A. De Leon Garza, research coordinator at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, at David.A.DeLeonGarza@uth.tmc.edu or 713-500-7972 for details.