Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia, representing up to 20% of all dementia cases. Yet, despite its prevalence, no specific treatments exist and few clinical trials focus on this type of dementia.
The Race Against Dementia Teams programme is our £4.2 million initiative, designed to fuel the race against one of the world’s most devastating conditions.
In partnership with Rosetrees Trust, Race Against Dementia has awarded grants of up to £750,000 to six exceptional research teams from across the UK.
One team to be awarded this grant is Team Vascular, based at the University of Edinburgh. They are focused on tackling what is often an overlooked type of dementia.
The unmet need in vascular dementia research
Vascular dementia, mostly caused by damage to the small blood vessels in the brain, affects millions globally, contributing to up to 40% of dementia cases. Small blood vessel damage not only contributes to cognitive decline but is also causes almost a quarter of all strokes.
Despite being so common, no specific treatments exist, and few clinical trials have focussed on this type of dementia.
Vascular dementia is a complex condition. Many patients with vascular disease suffer from comorbidities like heart disease or diabetes, which can interfere with research trials. As a result, these patients are often excluded from dementia research, leaving a critical gap in understanding and treatment options. Team Vascular are on a mission to change that.
A landmark study: The LACI-2 trial
Between 2018 and 2022, together with colleagues from other UK universities and funded by the British Heart Foundation, the team conducted the LACunar Intervention Trial 2 (LACI-2). This tested two drugs in patients with small vessel stroke and yielded impressive results, showing possible evidence of improvement in memory and thinking problems and led to the large NIHR-funded definitive LACI-3 trial to confirm the findings. In addition, these findings sparked widespread interest and optimism for new therapeutic approaches to combat cognitive issues associated with small vessel disease.
What’s next? Building on groundbreaking results
The LACI-2 trial was just the beginning. Team Vascular now aims to take their research to the next level for patients with thinking problems due to small vessel damage by focusing on four key goals:
- Pilot testing promising drugs in patients with memory problems: The team is ready to move forward, testing drugs specifically targeting problems in patients suffering from memory issues due to damage to the small blood vessels (vascular cognitive impairment and dementia).
- Understanding how these drugs work: By studying the effects of these drugs in animal models, Team Vascular hopes to establish exactly how they influence the brain, guiding future drug development.
- Searching for new drug candidates: The team will create methods to continuously update knowledge on both existing and new drugs, searching for promising candidates to treat vascular dementia.
- Inspiring the next generation: Education and awareness are key pillars of their mission. The team aims to inspire up-and-coming researchers, while informing policymakers and the public about the importance of vascular dementia research.
Why this work is so innovative
These drugs have not previously been tested specifically in patients whose main problem is cognitive issues related to small vessel disease. Currently there is no comprehensive approach to identify and test drugs for vascular dementia, and no effective treatment.
A fifth of all dementias are vascular dementia and vascular damage contributes to at least 40% of all dementias in older age, so finding better ways to treat vascular damage is crucial.
This could be the key to preventing or slowing the progression of dementia for millions worldwide.
What the Experts Are Saying
The Scientific Panel that reviewed Team Vascular’s work praised their dedication to including populations often left out of clinical trials, particularly people with vascular dementia. The panel also highlighted the team’s strong network, which includes emerging leaders in dementia research, and extensive collaborations with experts at other universities in the UK and beyond. Equally important was the budget allocated to education and policy—an investment that the panel believes could have a wide-reaching impact.
Meet Team Vascular
Leading this charge is Prof Joanna Wardlaw, alongside an impressive lineup of co-investigators:
- Prof Anna Williams
- Prof Malcolm Macleod
- Dr Fergus Doubal
- Dr Tom Russ
- Prof Emily Sena
- Dr Lucy Stirland
- Dr Michael Stringer
- Dr Tim Wilkinson
- Dr Una Clancy
Dr Fergus Doubal
Dr Michael Stringer
Team Vascular brings together a diverse group of experts, each committed to transforming how we understand and treat vascular dementia.
Leading the way
Team Vascular’s work, strengthened by collaboration with colleagues at other universities, could position the UK as a global leader in finding solutions for vascular dementia. This award is not just helping researchers in Edinburgh but will help accelerate vascular dementia research across the UK, raise awareness, and advocate for more attention to vascular causes of dementia, helping to shape the future of dementia research in the UK. The Team’s approach has the potential to unlock treatments that could save countless lives and vastly improve quality of life for those affected.
