# Examining the etiology and clinical consequences of perivascular spaces in aging adults

> **NIH NIH F31** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $30,761

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Perivascular spaces are an emerging marker of cerebral small vessel disease often seen as fluid-filled spaces
on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in older adults. The purpose of this proposal is to better understand the
underlying etiology and clinical consequences of perivascular spaces. In particular, we will assess if age-
related arterial stiffening drives higher blood pulsatility in perforating arteries of the basal ganglia, increasing
force transmission to surrounding tissue, and leading to morphological change in the form of enlarged
perivascular spaces. We propose to apply aortic pulse wave velocity, a gold-standard marker of arterial
stiffening, to test whether increased pulsatility is associated with longitudinal perivascular space burden in the
basal ganglia. Next, we will examine associations between baseline perivascular space burden and
longitudinal cognitive trajectory. The basal ganglia has been implicated in executive function and information
processing speed mediated by frontal-subcortical networks. Therefore, perivascular spaces in the basal
ganglia may result in worse cognitive outcomes in these particular domains. Apolipoprotein E (APOE)-ϵ4 is the
strongest genetic susceptibility risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer’s disease and a moderator of vascular
damage. Given our prior work suggesting arterial stiffness interacts with APOE-ϵ4 on brain health outcomes,
we will also assess APOE-ϵ4 as an effect modifier. To fulfill the research aims of this F31 application, we will
leverage exceptional resources from the Vanderbilt Memory & Alzheimer’s Center, Vanderbilt Memory & Aging
Project, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt Translational Clinical Cardiovascular
Research Group, Vanderbilt Advanced Computing Center for Research and Education, and the Vanderbilt
Brain Institute. The candidate, Corey Bown, will carry out the proposed research with the support of an
interdisciplinary mentorship team, including international experts in the neurobiology of Alzheimer’s disease
and small vessel disease, geriatric neuropsychology, neuroscience, cardiac and brain MRI, computational
genetics, and perivascular space anatomy and physiology. The parallel training plan will provide the candidate
with the necessary knowledge and skillset to complete the proposed research aims and develop into a
successful neuroscientist working at the neurobiological intersection of small vessel disease and Alzheimer’s
disease. Results from this research will offer crucial information about the etiology and clinical consequences
of perivascular spaces to inform future prevention and therapeutic efforts.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10219151
- **Project number:** 5F31AG066358-03
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Corey Bown
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $30,761
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-15 → 2022-09-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10219151

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10219151, Examining the etiology and clinical consequences of perivascular spaces in aging adults (5F31AG066358-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10219151. Licensed CC0.

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