IISER maps brain ageing

Brahmapur: To combat cognitive decline, the Neuroimaging and Brain Biology Research Group at IISER-Brahmapur has launched an ambitious research programme. The initiative examines how cerebrovascular health affects brain ageing to develop non-invasive tools for early dementia and Alzheimer’s detection.

Led by Dr Vivek Tiwari, the study will analyse a large community-based cohort in Ganjam district and neighbouring regions. By combining advanced MRI, cognitive assessments, and artificial intelligence, researchers aim to estimate biological brain age and identify at-risk individuals before symptoms appear.

This project builds one of India’s first comprehensive cerebrovascular brain-ageing databases, expanding into a national health library. The initiative enables personalised diagnosis, timely intervention, and enhanced neurological care across the country.

Prof Ashok K Ganguli, Director of IISER-Brahmapur, said the institute proudly supports this pioneering research to transform dementia diagnosis and brain healthcare in India. Dr Tiwari noted that while chronological age is universal, “brain age” is unique to each individual, making cerebrovascular health essential to understanding both healthy and pathological brain ageing.