RESEARCHERS from the University of Surrey have made an important breakthrough in the examination of blood vessels in the brain giving scientists a clearer understanding of how dementia, brain cancer and stroke can affect its veins and capillaries.

Working collaboratively with the Federal University of Sao Paulo, they have developed an innovative technique to examine and quantify blood vessels in the brain using 3D image analysis procedures.

Using experimental animal models, this technique will allow scientists to study how diseases develop in the brain and help them identify, through examination of blood vessels, potential warning signs of illnesses before symptoms appear.

Their findings can potentially be translated to humans and help reduce the number of deaths from such illnesses.

The procedure can also be used in post mortems and biopsies of animal and human tissue making it easier for pathologists to determine causes of death and quickly identify alterations in the brain circulation, such as clots or tumours.

The inexpensive technique of dissolving china ink with gelatin, creates a solution making blood vessels more visible with the use of a confocal microscope.

It enables scientists and pathologists to make an accurate reading of their number, length, surface area and create 3D images that can help identify changes in their shape and size, key indicators of a number of circulation-related diseases of the brain.

This method will also help scientists understand how exercise affects the brain.

They will now be able to examine circulatory effects of increased or decreased heart rate, and arterial pressure on the brain.

Dr Augusto Coppi from the University of Surrey, who co-authored the study, said: “The brain is a fascinating organ but our full understanding of its circulation is lacking.

“Previously we have been unable to fully sample and perform a quantification of the circulation of the brain in 3D as we simply could not see all vessels due to their minute size and sometimes due to their irregular spatial distribution. This new technique will allow us to sample, image and count blood vessels in 3D (pictured) giving us a greater mechanistic comprehension of how the circulation of the brain works and how brain diseases such as dementia and stroke affect this organ.

“With an estimated 850,000 people diagnosed with dementia in England, this technique marks a significant breakthrough in the fight against this disease,” Dr Coppi added.