Age-related diseases are becoming increasingly important in developed countries due to their association with increasing life expectancy. This project will impact a significant portion of the global population. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2040, neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease will become major leading causes of death in western countries (World Health Organisation, World Health Statistics 2022, https://www.who.int). Currently, more than 55 million people worldwide live with dementia, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year. Therefore, this project will significantly influence the quality of life for millions of people.
The aim of this research project is to develop a neuroimaging method capable of modelling healthy aging at an individual level and providing biologically informed early predictions of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. This idea is based on the fact that individuals on fast-aging trajectories have been associated with cognitive impairment and other brain disorders. The project will span four years, beginning with the definition of the model on healthy controls and concluding with the implementation of the method on patients’ data. It will leverage the use of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to measure both normal and abnormal brain connectivity.