What if keeping your heart healthy could also protect your brain? A new European Union-funded research project, called DORIAN GRAY, is about to explore that exact question — and the results could shape the future of how we prevent both heart disease and dementia.
Led by the University of Brescia and partnered with the European Society of Cardiology, this ambitious €11 million, five-year project will bring together experts from 24 institutions across Europe. The goal? To better understand the connection between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) — and to develop new tools to help people live longer, healthier lives.
❤️💭 What’s the Link Between the Heart and Brain?
Recent studies show that about one-third of people with heart disease also experience symptoms of mild cognitive impairment — memory problems or difficulty concentrating that go beyond normal ageing. Shockingly, up to 80% of these cases go undiagnosed.
Scientists believe that the connection runs deeper than shared risk factors like high blood pressure or diabetes. Heart problems such as chronic poor circulation or stiff arteries might directly affect brain health. But so far, there’s no clear explanation by scientists — and no reliable way to detect early cognitive decline in heart patients.
That’s where DORIAN GRAY comes in.
🔬 What the Project Will Do
This groundbreaking initiative will:
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Analyze real-world data from more than 300,000 people across six countries
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Use AI to find patterns that predict cognitive decline in people with heart disease
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Develop a “medical avatar” tool to help guide users toward better heart and brain health
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Create a fun, interactive exergame — combining physical activity with cognitive training
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Run a clinical trial to test these tools in people with heart failure and early memory loss
🎮 The Power of the "Medical Avatar"
One of the most exciting parts of the project is the development of avatar-based coaching and exergaming (ABCE). Think of it like a smart, interactive health coach that lives on your phone or tablet — helping you stay active, sharp, and motivated through personalized workouts and mental challenges, all wrapped in a game-like experience.
This could be a game changer for people at risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s, offering a fun, accessible way to take control of their health.
🌍 Why This Matters
If successful, the DORIAN GRAY project could do more than improve individual lives — it could prevent up to 2 million cases of dementia across Europe by 2050, simply by reducing common risk factors like:
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High blood pressure
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Diabetes
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Obesity
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Smoking
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Low physical activity
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Depression
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Poor education access
A 5% reduction in these risks could prevent 1 million cases of dementia. A 10% reduction could prevent 2 million.
📣 What’s Next?
The project officially launched in February 2025 and will run for five years. As the research progresses, results will be shared with patients, doctors, policymakers, and the public to help reshape how we think about — and prevent — both heart and brain diseases.
Stay tuned. The future of preventive health might just come with a medical avatar in your pocket.
