VaSC Lab

01/05/2018

How do poorly functioning blood vessels in the brain contribute to dementia and Alzheimer's Disease?

Recent research by Dr. Daniel A. Nation, director of the USC VaSC Lab, and graduate students Belinda Yew and Jean Ho helps explain the link and points to possibilities for future therapeutic interventions.

USC researchers plan to explore whether constricted vessels could be targeted by existing drugs that were approved for treating other health conditions.

08/30/2016

http://www.npr.org/2016/08/30/491906523/gene-wilder-dies-from-complications-of-alzheimers-at-age-83

Wilder played neurotic, funny and emotional characters in some of the classic movies of the 1960s, 70s and 80s — including The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein and Silver Streak.

10/22/2015

RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS NEEDED!

Are you or someone you know 55 years old and above? Our psychology research lab at USC is conducting a study of cardiovascular health and aging on cognition. Our participants will be asked to complete a series of game-like cognitive tests, give a blood sample, and undergo an MRI scan. All information is confidential.

You will be compensated from your partcipation, and remibursed for your parking.

Interested? Please contact us via email at [email protected] and provide us with your name, phone number, and best time to reach you!

The Vascular Senesence and Cognition (VaSC) Lab

10/22/2015

The Vascular Senesence and Cognition (VaSC) Lab is dedicated to the characterization of cognitive decline associated with age-related changes in vascular structure and function. Cognitive aging, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia represent cognitive disorders associated with aging, neurodegenerative disease, and cerebrovascular disease. Our work is focused on improving our understanding of how aging of the vascular system may contribute to these disorders. We are also specifically interested in how vascular function may impact pathophysiological brain changes that represent the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease. The goal of these studies is to improve our understanding of age-related neurodegenerative disease and our ability to identify at risk individuals during the earliest stage of disease when preventative efforts may be most effective. Our ongoing projects include efforts:

Characterize circulating angiogenic cell function in patients with age-related cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment
Investigation of novel neuroimaging-based markers of age-related cerebrovascular dysfunction
Development of neuropsychological measures sensitive to subtle cognitive changes in older adults
Investigation of blood-based markers of vascular aging