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2632 Determining the feasibility of a TCD-NIRS protocol to measure cerebral haemodynamics in dementia, delirium, and depression
Owen M. Edwards, James D. Ball, Yvonne Sensier, Ronney Bernardes Panerai, Lucy Beishon. Age and Ageing, 2025-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Abstract Introduction Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) and Near-Infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) are indirect measures of neurovascular coupling (NVC). NVC is the relationship between cerebral blood flow and neuronal activity to meet the metabolic demands of the brain. No studies have integrated TCD-NIRS to investigate the feasibility of measuring NVC in those with dementia, delirium, and depression. Methods 32 participants (median [IQR] age 73.0 [70.0,78.5], 50% female, healthy (HC, n = 10), depression (n = 11), dementia (n = 6), delirium (n = 5)), underwent continuous cerebral blood velocity measurements in the middle (dominant MCAv) and posterior (non-dominant PCAv) cerebral arteries using TCD at rest and in response to four tasks. Heart rate (3-lead ECG), end-tidal CO (nasal capnography), blood pressure (Finometer), and prefrontal oxygenated (HbO2) and deoxygenated (HbR) haemoglobin (NIRS) were also measured. NVC was determined as absolute change in MCAv (cm/s) or concentration change for an attention task (serial subtraction), passive motor (arm movement) and passive sensory task (cotton wool), or PCAv for a visuospatial task (dot counting). We determined differences in NVC by a mixed two-way repeated measures analysis of variance, with post-hoc testing via Tukey. Results Resting CBv (cm/s) was significantly different between groups in MCAv (HC: 53.9 (SD = 8.09), depression: 41.9 (9.31), dementia: 42.5 (13.7), delirium: 32.6 (7.48), p = 0.002) and PCAv (p = 0.045), after correction for age and BP (p = 0.011). TCD: initial NVC responses increased for all three groups (delirium excluded) for all tasks (20–30s), (p = 0.026), but with no main effect of diagnosis. NIRS: There was a significant difference between tasks for the HbO2 and HbR responses (p = 0.046, p = 0.033). Diagnosis had a significant effect on the HbR response only (p = 0.034). Conclusion An integrated TCD-NIRS protocol was feasible in these patient groups to measure NVC, but less-so in delirium. Further work is needed to investigate NVC using integrated TCD-NIRS in larger sample sizes.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Edwards, O. M., Ball, J. D., Sensier, Y., Panerai, R. B., & Beishon, L. (2025). 2632 Determining the feasibility of a TCD-NIRS protocol to measure cerebral haemodynamics in dementia, delirium, and depression. Age and Ageing. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afae277.075
Vancouver
Edwards OM, Ball JD, Sensier Y, Panerai RB, Beishon L. 2632 Determining the feasibility of a TCD-NIRS protocol to measure cerebral haemodynamics in dementia, delirium, and depression. Age and Ageing. 2025. doi:10.1093/ageing/afae277.075.
BibTeX
@article{edwards2025-c2c1e2eb,
author = {Edwards, Owen M. and Ball, James D. and Sensier, Yvonne and Panerai, Ronney Bernardes and Beishon, Lucy},
title = {{2632 Determining the feasibility of a TCD-NIRS protocol to measure cerebral haemodynamics in dementia, delirium, and depression}},
journal = {Age and Ageing},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1093/ageing/afae277.075},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afae277.075}
}
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Key findings
- Results Resting CBv (cm/s) was significantly different between groups in MCAv (HC: 53.9 (SD = 8.09), depression: 41.9 (9.31), dementia: 42.5 (13.7), delirium: 32.6 (7.48), p = 0.002) and PCAv (p = 0.045), after correction for age and BP (p = 0.011).
- NIRS: There was a significant difference between tasks for the HbO2 and HbR responses (p = 0.046, p = 0.033).
- Diagnosis had a significant effect on the HbR response only (p = 0.034).
Why it matters
This small feasibility study used ultrasound and near-infrared spectroscopy to measure brain blood flow responses in people with dementia, delirium, depression and healthy controls. It tested whether the method works, not whether it treats or prevents Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Study designpost-hoc analysis
- Participants32
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 36/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Age and Ageing) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Age and Ageing: journal h-index 231 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | Design recorded as “post-hoc analysis”, which our rubric does not rank (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 32 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Lucy Beishon: h-index 22 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Leicester: institution h-index 862 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 36 / 100 | — |
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