LACI-Cog-1 reaches an important milestone with first participant recruited to study

We officially welcomed John Perreur-Lloyd who has volunteered his time to be part of this important study. John noted, 

“Taking part in in the LACI-Cog-1 study gives me hope that we can find new ways to help people like me. If my participation can help improve outcomes for others in the future, it’s worth it”

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is the commonest cause of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) and causes between 20 and 45% of all dementia cases worldwide. However vascular causes of dementia have been very neglected in research, with very few trials of treatments ever, meaning there are no established treatments or prevention.

LACI-Cog-1 will study two existing drugs, cilostazol and isosorbide mononitrate (ISMN), to see if they improve outcomes for people who are at risk of, or diagnosed with, VCID. Both drugs are commonly used to treat other blood vessel diseases within the NHS. We will also be using brain and retinal scans in the trial to see if the drugs improve blood vessel function. 

LACI-Cog-1 builds on the positive results from the LACunar Intervention trials 1 and 2 (LACI-1, LACI-2), which also tested ISMN and cilostazol but in patients with small vessel (lacunar) stroke.  In LACI-2, these drugs reduced cognitive impairment so this approach might also help people affected by VCID.

Alongside LACI-Cog-1, another trial is currently running called the LACunar Intervention Trial-3 (LACI-3) to confirm if the same drugs can definitely improve outcomes in patients with small vessel (lacunar) stroke. LACI-3 will confirm if these drugs definitely improve memory and thinking, day-to-day function and prevent more lacunar strokes, and should therefore be made routinely available to patients who have had a lacunar stroke.

We are thankful to the charity Race Against Dementia, who have funded the LACI-Cog-1 trial. LACI-Cog-1 has been designed and set up by ‘Team Vascular’, also funded by Race Against Dementia based at the University of Edinburgh.  Team Vascular aim to accelerate research into finding treatments for SVD and VCID, while raising awareness of SVD and VCID, and improving patient care. 

Approximately 60 patients will be recruited to LACI-Cog-1 in Edinburgh, mainly from memory clinics. The study will assess participants’ thinking, mood, memory, mobility, day-to-day functioning and general health. 

The LACI-Cog-1 team are incredibly grateful to all involved in helping this study move forward and to the patients who have volunteered their time to help us find a treatment. 

We would be delighted to hear from anyone that would like to get involved in this trial and you can contact us at the following email address:

rowfogocentre@ed.ac.uk 

Find out more about LACI-Cog-1:

LACI-Cog-1