Hao-Min Cheng, MD, PhD | School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University; Shao-Yuan Chuang, PhD; Geng-Shi Jeng, PhD; Jiun-Jr Wang, PhD; Chen-Hua Lin, MS; Chi-Jung Huang, PhD
Competition Sponsor: Academia Sinica
Awardee Year: 2022
Population ageing has stepped much faster than before and become an unprecedented global health issue. Cerebrovascular diseases require tremendous medical expenditures and have been the major burden of health care system worldwide. Carotid hemodynamics provide low-cost and non-invasive evaluation for early detection of cerebrovascular disease and artery stiffness. In our previous studies, we have comprehensively investigated the pulsatile hemodynamics in the carotid artery. We found that carotid energy pulsatility index is the single most important index for predicting cognitive function, more effective than all other aortic and carotid hemodynamic parameters, including blood pressure and arterial blood flow. Currently, the impacts of blood pressure or carotid flow on cognitive function are separately assessed. However, arterial flow is seldom measured unless occlusion of arteries is suspected. Despite the concept of energy, integrating both pressure and flow, has been acknowledged in the circulatory system, it is rarely utilized in clinical practice. In this project, we will develop an innovative device that can conveniently measure arterial flow and blood pressure to estimate energy pulsatility index. This proposed device will be equipped with a firmware for calculating the carotid pulsatility index derived from mean energy (steady energy) and pulsatile energy (energy that can be detrimental to end-organs). This device will be used to assess vascular aging and the impacts of various interventions including dietary, lifestyle or pharmacological intervention on cognitive function by assessing the pulsatile hemodynamics of the circulatory system, which will allow us to assess the circulatory impacts quickly and efficiently on brain aging.
To learn more about this proposal, email healthylongevity@nas.edu.