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CANDR's research is anchored in one of the most critical - and historically under investigated - frontiers in neuroscience: the relationship between cerebrovascular disease and dementia.
While Alzheimer's disease is the most recognized form of dementia, a substantial proportion of dementia cases involve vascular contributions - particularly from cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD), a condition in which damage to the brain's small blood vessels causes progressive cognitive decline.
400 million people worldwide live with cerebral small vessel disease. Many of its risk factors - high blood pressure, diabetes, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity - are preventable. CANDR is working to turn that opportunity into action.
By targeting cSVD for both prevention and early intervention, CANDR's research has the potential to reduce the global burden of dementia at a scale not previously achieved.
Decades of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Research Excellence
Since the late 1980s, the University of Cincinnati has led large-scale regional, national, and international studies of stroke and cerebrovascular disease. Our team has extensive experience conducting NIH-funded clinical trials and cohort studies, with a track record of producing findings that have changed clinical practice worldwide.
Our research has been particularly attentive to populations disproportionately affected by stroke and vascular disease - including Black adults, elderly individuals, rural communities, and those experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage.
Cincinnati Cohort Biomarker Program (CCBP)
The CCBP is one of the region's most ambitious longitudinal biomarker collections, gathering blood, imaging, microbiome, and neuropsychological data from over 1,000 participants. This repository supports a wide range of investigator-initiated studies and is growing at a rate comparable to or exceeding nationally designated ADRCs.
Unique Nutrition & Lifestyle Core
CANDR is distinguished by a Nutrition and Lifestyle Core - a research capability not available in most other Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers. Led by Drs. McNamara and Krikorian, this core investigates the relationship between dietary patterns, lifestyle factors, and brain health outcomes, including an NIH-funded interventional clinical trial currently underway.
Advanced Neuroimaging Capabilities
Our Neuroimaging Core has managed over 22 clinical imaging trials involving more than 15,000 patients and 46,865 imaging studies across stroke and oncology research. A new MRI Center of Excellence — developed in partnership with GE Health - will further expand our capacity for cutting-edge brain imaging research.
Biomarker & Neuropathology Infrastructure
CANDR's Biomarker Core and Neuropathology Core together provide a comprehensive scientific foundation for understanding the biological underpinnings of dementia. From blood-based biomarkers to postmortem brain tissue analysis, our infrastructure supports both early detection research and deeper mechanistic science.
Data Management & Biostatistics
Our Data Management and Statistical Core ensures that CANDR's research data is collected, managed, and analyzed at the highest level of scientific rigor. This core is committed to FAIR data principles and participates in national data sharing efforts through NACC, NCRAD, and SCAN/LONI.
CANDR researchers are currently leading or participating in the following research initiatives:
Over its first five years, CANDR will pursue the following strategic objectives: