StrokeMRI - Brain function in stroke recovery and risk assessment

Project leader

Prof. Lars T. Westlye, Cand. Psychol., ph.d., main supervisor/co-supervisor, NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital & Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. KG Jebsen Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

Jan Egil Nordvik, Cand. Psychol., ph.d., main supervisor/co-supervisor, Sunnaas hospital, OsloMET, Norwegian Directory of Health

Abstract

With the burgeoning elderly population, stroke-related disabilities are estimated to rank as the fourth most important cause of DALYs in 2030. The present study targets a major disorder, both in terms of prevalence, estimated future incidence and consequences as measured by the total burden of functional disabilities and mortalities. Increasing knowledge about the mechanisms underlying functional and cognitive impairments following stroke is necessary for the development of efficient and targeted therapeutic interventions, which may both sustain and substantially improve quality of life for the increasing group of elderly patients. The present proposal also targets risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and how these might influence and map onto brain function and structure throughout the lifespan. The proposal (1) promotes collaboration between national and international researchers, (2) involves a translational and multidisciplinary approach bridging basic neuroscience research and clinical practice in order to inform and improve patient care, (3) includes advanced neuroimaging, inflammatory markers and genetic approaches in a prospective clinical setting, and (4) leverages on collaboration between strong and productive research groups from different scientific and clinical disciplines.

StrokeMRI is a study on the determinants of stroke recovery, brain health and successful aging.

The project started in 2015 and the second round of data collection was completed in 2019. The study includes more than 300 healthy participants, where over 200 have completed two-years follow-up, and 126 individual stroke survivors with multiple follow-ups.

Erlend S. Dørum, Sunnaas hospital, UiO, OUH (NORMENT), phd-student

Geneviève Richard, Sunnaas hospital, UiO, OUH (NORMENT), phd-student

Knut K. Kolskår, Sunnaas hospital, UiO, OUH (NORMENT), phd-student

Anne-Marthe Sanders, Sunnaas hospital, UiO, OUH (NORMENT), phd-student

Kristine Moe Ulrichsen, Sunnaas hospital, UiO, OUH (NORMENT), phd-student

Dani Beck, ph.d Fellow, Sunnaas hospital, UiO, OUH (NORMENT), phd-student

Lars T. Westlye, Cand. Psychol, ph.d., PI, main supervisor/co-supervisor, UiO/OUH

Jan Egil Nordvik, Cand. Psychol., ph.d., PI, main supervisor/co-supervisor, Sunnaas rehabilitation hospital, OsloMET/ Hdir

Dag Alnæs, Cand. Psychol, NORMENT

Brynjar Fure, MD ph.d., OUH, co-supervisor

Sigurd Vatn, MD, OUH

Hege I. Hansen, MD, OUH

Torgeir Moberget, Cand. Psychol., ph.d., NORMENT

Tobias Kaufmann, ph.d., postdoc NORMENT

Ethical approvals

REK: 2014/694, 2015/1282.

(Study approved by Data Protection Officer, Oslo University Hospital)

Funding

Research Council of Norway [249795, 248238, 276082]

The South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority [2014097, 2015044, 2015073, 2018037, 2018076, 2019107, 2020086]

The Norwegian ExtraFoundation for Health and Rehabilitation [2015/FO5146]

The European Research Council under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and Innovation program [ERC StG Grant 802998]

Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital HT

Department of Psychology, University of Oslo.

Time period

2015-