$6mil Centre Grant over 2 years, funded by National Medical Research Council
Contact Details:
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Address:
National University of Singapore
10 Kent Ridge Crescent
Singapore 119260
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Director:
A/Prof Christopher Chen |
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Magnetic Resonance
Imaging in Dementia |
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Principal Investigators: |
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Prof Peter Wong
Prof Xin-Yuan Fu
Dr Mitchell Lai
Prof Tien Yin Wong |
A/Prof Anqi Qiu
A/Prof Simon Collinson
A/Prof NV Ramani |
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Co-Investigators & Collaborators: |
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Prof B Halliwell (NUS)
A/Prof M Wenk (NUS)
A/Prof BS Wong
A/Prof G Dawe
Dr CM Low
Dr MG Tan (SGH)
A/Prof A Chen (NTU)
Dr KH Chuang (SBIC)
Dr C Cheung (SERI) |
Dr A Chou (CGH)
Dr LL Ng (CGH)
Dr D Seow (SGH)
Dr P Yap (AH)
Dr V Sharma (NUHS)
Dr R Merchant (NUHS)
Prof EH Kua (NUHS)
A/Prof TP Ng
Dr B Chan (NUHS) |
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International Advisors: |
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Prof E Koo (USA)
Prof P Francis (UK)
Prof C Tzourio (France)
Prof D Nyenhuis (USA) |
Prof C Holmes (UK)
Prof G Cole (USA)
Prof S Frautchy (USA)
Prof R Cohen (USA) |
Aims and Research Theme
One area of dementia research important to Singapore and Asia is Vascular & Neurodegenerative Mechanisms in Dementia. Vascular disease is prominent among ethnic Asian dementia patients. Compared to Caucasian populations, a higher prevalence of VaD has been reported in Asian countries such as Japan and China. Moreover, studies have revealed a vascular basis contributing to the etiology and pathogenesis of AD. The identification of biomarkers for vascular and neurodegenerative mechanisms, and insights into the mechanisms of interaction may lead to potential therapeutic approaches.
This will not only give rise to novel scientific insights and advances but also be of immense potential benefit to Singaporeans and the biomedical industry since the increasing numbers of patients suffering from dementia exact a massive toll in health care costs, disability and lost productivity for both patients and caregivers.
NUHS can play a vital role in translational clinical dementia research because of strong interactions between clinical and basic science departments, which may lead to interventions that can prolong independent community function, delay institutionalisation and therefore lower healthcare expenditure.
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Altered gene expression in
Alzheimer’s Disease |
The clinical and epidemiological studies will provide novel insights into the risk factors and biomarkers for dementia as well as patients for biomarker and interventional studies of cognitive decline and dementia.
These clinical cohorts will be recruited into Neuroimaging (MRI and retinal imaging) studies which may in turn help identify high risk groups for intervention as well as mechanisms to be targeted for further investigations, as may the Neurochemical studies on brain samples and Animal Models which will also provide opportunities to validate biomarkers.
Core Research Projects:
- Animal Models for Mixed Dementia: Molecular Mechanisms, Biomarkers and Prevention Strategies
- Neurochemistry, Molecular Pathology and Biomarker Discovery
- Dementia Neuroimaging using Multi-Modal Magnetic Resonance and Retinal Imaging
- Improving the Diagnosis of Vascular Cognitive Impairment by Prospective Longitudinal Clinical Studies
- Epidemiology of Dementia in Singapore: Ethnicity and Risk Factors
Selected Publications
Altered gene expression in Alzheimer’s Disease |
Chong MS, Chin JJ, Saw SM, Chan SP, Venketasubramanian N, LCS Tan, Hong CY, Saw SM. Screening for dementia in the older Chinese with a single question test on progressive forgetfulness. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2006; 21:442-8
Sahadevan S, Saw SM, Gao W, Tan LCS, Chin JJ, Hong CY, Venketasubramanian N. Ethnic differences in Singapore’s dementia prevalence: the stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, epilepsy and dementia in Singapore study. Am Geriatr Soc 2008; 56:2061-8
K Narasimhalu, S Ang, DA De Silva, MC Wong, HM Chang, KS Chia, AP Auchus, C Chen. Severity of CIND and MCI predict incidence of dementia in an ischemic stroke cohort. Neurology 2009; 73:1866-72
N Kandiah, K Narasimhalu, J Lee, CLPH Chen Differences Exist in the Cognitive Profile of Mild Alzheimer’s Disease and Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Dementia. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2009; 27:399-403
De Silva DA, Liew G, Wong MC, Chang HM, Chen C, Wang JJ, Baker ML, Hand PJ, Rochtchina E, Liu EY, Mitchell P, Lindley RI, Wong TY. Retinal vascular caliber and extracranial carotid disease in patients with acute ischemic stroke: the Multi-Centre Retinal Stroke (MCRS) study. Stroke. 2009; 40(12):3695-9.
Lindley RI, Wang JJ, Wong MC, Mitchell P, Liew G, Hand P, Wardlaw J, De Silva DA, Baker M, Rochtchina E, Chen C, Hankey GJ, Chang HM, Fung VS, Gomes L, Wong TY; Multi-Centre Retina and Stroke Study (MCRS) Collaborative Group. Retinal microvasculature in acute lacunar stroke: a cross-sectional study. Lancet Neurol. 2009; 8(7):628-34.
Baker ML, Hand PJ, Wang JJ, Wong TY. Retinal signs and stroke: revisiting the link between the eye and brain. Stroke. 2008; 39(4):1371-9.
Qiu A, Notestine CF, Dale AM, Miller MI; Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Regional Shape Abnormalities in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease, NeuroImage 2009, 45:656-661.
Qiu A, Taylor WD, Zhao Z, MacFall JR, Miller MI, Steffens DC, Krishnan KRR. APOE Related Hippocampal Shape Alteration in Geriatric Depression. NeuroImage 2009, 44:620-626.
Tan MG, Chua WT, Esiri MM, Smith AD, Vinters HV, Lai MK. Genome-wide profiling of altered gene expression in the neocortex of Alzheimer’s disease. J Neurosci Res 2010; 88:1157-69.
