7T MRI to assess vasculature and connectivity in Huntington's disease

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A 7 Tesla Magnetic resonance neuroimaging study of the cerebral vasculature and brain connectivity in patients with Huntington's disease

• IRAS ID

  106547

• Contact name

  Roger Barker

• Contact email

  rab46@cam.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and University of Cambridge

• Research summary

  Summary of Results

  We found HD protein (mHtt - mutant huntingtin) to be present in all major components of the neurovascular unit of both R6/2 mice and HD patients. We also found an increase in blood vessel density, a reduction in blood vessel diameter, as well as Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) leakage in the striatum of R6/2 mice. We confirmed the existence of similar vascular and BBB changes in HD patients.

• REC name

  East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  12/EE/0528

• Date of REC Opinion

  20 Dec 2012

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion