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The White Matter Hyperintensity Shape and Brain Clearance (WHIMAS) Study for Identification of Novel 7T Magnetic Resonance Imaging Markers of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: Protocol for a Cross-Sectional Study
Jasmin Annica Keller, Ingmar Eiling, Lydiane Hirschler, Lena Václavů, Marie‐Noëlle W. Witjes‐Ané, Marjolein A. Wijngaarden, Martijn A. Nagtegaal, Ece Ercan et al.. JMIR Research Protocols, 2025-12-04
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Patient inclusion started in January 2023, and study enrollment of patients is expected to finish in the second quarter of 2027, whereas the main results are expected to be published in the first quarter of 2028. We aim to understand variations in WMH shape and find their relationship to cerebral SVD and markers of brain clearance and cognitive functioning. WMH shape and brain clearance markers early in the disease process of SVD are extremely important as they may represent a basis for future patient selection for lifestyle interventions or for treatment trials aimed at the prevention of dementia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06010511; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06010511. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/77681.
Key findings
- Patient inclusion started in January 2023, and study enrollment of patients is expected to finish in the second quarter of 2027, whereas the main results are expected to be published in the first quarter of 2028.
- We aim to understand variations in WMH shape and find their relationship to cerebral SVD and markers of brain clearance and cognitive functioning.
- WMH shape and brain clearance markers early in the disease process of SVD are extremely important as they may represent a basis for future patient selection for lifestyle interventions or for treatment trials aimed at the prevention of dementia.
- TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06010511; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06010511.
- INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/77681.
Why it matters
This is a protocol for an ongoing study that will examine white matter hyperintensity shape and brain clearance markers using 7T MRI. No results are available yet, so it provides no information on treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants50
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 40/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (JMIR Research Protocols) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | JMIR Research Protocols: journal h-index 62 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| 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 | 50 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 0.6× 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 Jeroen de Bresser: h-index 33 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Leiden University Medical Center: institution h-index 930 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41344663) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 40 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Keller, J. A., Eiling, I., Hirschler, L., Václavů, L., Witjes‐Ané, M. W., Wijngaarden, M. A., et al. (2025). The White Matter Hyperintensity Shape and Brain Clearance (WHIMAS) Study for Identification of Novel 7T Magnetic Resonance Imaging Markers of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: Protocol for a Cross-Sectional Study. JMIR Research Protocols. https://doi.org/10.2196/77681
Vancouver
Keller JA, Eiling I, Hirschler L, Václavů L, Witjes‐Ané MW, Wijngaarden MA, et al. The White Matter Hyperintensity Shape and Brain Clearance (WHIMAS) Study for Identification of Novel 7T Magnetic Resonance Imaging Markers of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: Protocol for a Cross-Sectional Study. JMIR Research Protocols. 2025. doi:10.2196/77681. PMID: 41344663.
BibTeX
@article{keller2025-41344663,
author = {Keller, Jasmin Annica and Eiling, Ingmar and Hirschler, Lydiane and Václavů, Lena and Witjes‐Ané, Marie‐Noëlle W. and Wijngaarden, Marjolein A. and Nagtegaal, Martijn A. and Ercan, Ece and others},
title = {{The White Matter Hyperintensity Shape and Brain Clearance (WHIMAS) Study for Identification of Novel 7T Magnetic Resonance Imaging Markers of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: Protocol for a Cross-Sectional Study}},
journal = {JMIR Research Protocols},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.2196/77681},
pmid = {41344663},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2196/77681}
}
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