Small vessel disease is the leading cause of vascular dementia and is estimated to affect a third of people over the age of 80. It is characterised by damage to myelin, the fatty sheath which insulates and supports nerve cells in the brain. The Rajani Lab and others have shown how oligodendrocytes, the myelin forming cells in the brain, can become vulnerable to damage in small vessel disease. However, we still don’t fully understand how this damage occurs.

To investigate this, the Rajani Lab studies the mechanisms of interaction between blood vessels and oligodendrocytes, with a particular focus on the role that neuronal activity plays in modulating these interactions. Studying both inherited and sporadic forms of small vessel disease, and using both animal models and material from patients, the group aims to uncover novel targets for potential future therapies.