Group Biessels
Group Biessels
Our research focuses on the role of vascular disease in cognitive decline and dementia. This is referred to as vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). Cognition and dementia in people with type 2 diabetes has been a key topic. We have made important progress in determining the severity and course of development of cognitive decrements in diabetes and pre-diabetic stages and in identifying MRI correlates of impaired cognition. We also address other vascular risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia.
Our next targets are to make prediction models to identify patients at increased risk of VCI and to refine our brain imaging markers of vascular damage in these patients, also using high-resolution MRI at 7T. To this end we establish cohorts of patients that represent different aspects of VCI, in whom we collect detailed data on cognition and their vascular risk factor profile and obtain state of the art MRI scans.
Research topics uitklapper, klik om te openen
- MRI techniques
- Brain connectivity
- Lesion-symptom mapping
- Microinfarcts
- Diabetes
Groupmembers uitklapper, klik om te openen
- Geert Jan Biessels - Professor of Neurology & Principle Investigator VCI Research Group
- Angela van Rossum - Secretary of prof. Biessels
- Yael D. ReijmerZ - Postdoctoral researcher
- Matthijs Biesbroek - Postdoctoral researcher & resident neurology
- Lieza Exalto - Postdoctoral researcher & resident Neurology
- Manja Litjens - Research coordinator
- Nick A. Weaver -PhD student
- Rutger Heinen - PhD student & resident neurology
- Hilde van den Brink - PhD student
- Bruno M. Robalo -PhD student
- Naomi Vlegels - PhD student
- Jooske M.F. Boomsma - PhD candidate & resident neurology
- Chloë Verhagen - PhD student
- Jolien Janssen - PhD student & trainee GP
- Hugo P. Aben - PhD student & resident neurology
- Doeschka Ferro - PhD student & resident Neurology
- Sanne Kuipers - PhD student & resident Neurology
Department of Radiology / Image Sciences Institute uitklapper, klik om te openen
- Jaco J.M. Zwanenburg - Associate professor
- Hugo J. Kuijf - Assistant professor
- Jacob-Jan Sloots -PhD student
- Tine Arts - PhD student
Department of Geriatrics uitklapper, klik om te openen
- Ineke Koek - Geriatrician & clinical epidemiologist
Key publications uitklapper, klik om te openen
- Biessels GJ. Diagnosis and treatment of vascular damage in dementia. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016;1862:869-877
- Biessels GJ, Despa F. Cognitive decline and dementia in diabetes: Mechanisms and clinical implications. Nature Reviews Endocrinol. 2018
- Biesbroek JM, Leemans A, den Bakker H, Duering M, Gesierich B, Koek HL, …Biessels GJ. Microstructure of strategic white matter tracts and cognition in memory clinic patients with vascular brain injury. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2018;44:268-282
- van Veluw SJ, Shih AY, .. Biessels GJ. Detection, risk factors, and functional consequences of cerebral microinfarcts. Lancet Neurol. 2017 Sep;16(9):730-740.
- van Veluw,SJ, Hilal,S, Biessels,GJ, Chen,C. Cortical microinfarcts on 3T MRI: clinical correlates in memory-clinic patients. Alzheimer’s and Dementia, 11:1500-1509, 2015
- Bouvy,WH, Geurts,LJ, Kuijf,HJ, Luijten,PR, Kappelle,LJ, Biessels,GJ, Zwanenburg,JJ: Assessment of blood flow velocity and pulsatility in cerebral perforating arteries with 7-T quantitative flow MRI. NMR Biomed 2016; 29(9): 1295–1304
- Smith EE, Saposnik G, Biessels GJ…. Seshadri S; Prevention of Stroke in Patients With Silent Cerebrovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement for Healthcare Professionals From AHA/ASA.Stroke. 2017 Feb;48(2):e44-e71.
- Wardlaw,JM, Smith,EE, Biessels,GJ, ..., Dichgans,M. Neuroimaging standards for research into small vessel disease …. Lancet Neurol 12:822-838, 2013
Funding & Grants uitklapper, klik om te openen
8/16-8/21: VICI, from Dutch Research Council (NWO).
Microvascular function and brain networks: Keys to understanding the vascular burden in dementia. Personal grant to GJB; 1.500 kE.
12/15-12/20: Horizon 2020, EU, grant No 666881;
Small vessel diseases in a mechanistic perspective: Targets for Intervention. Affected pathways and mechanistic exploitation for prevention of stroke and dementia - SVDs@target.Program leader: Prof. M, Dichgans from Munich. GJB is PI of a work package on advanced imaging. 6.000 kE