METACOHORTS for the study of vascular disease and its contribution to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration: An initiative of the Joint Programme for Neurodegenerative Disease Research
Authors:   METACOHORTS Consortium, Dichgans Martin , Wardlaw Joanna , Smith Eric , Zietemann Vera , Seshadri Sudha , Sachdev Perminder , Biessels Geert Jan , Fazekas Franz , Benavente Oscar , Pantoni Leonardo , De Leeuw Frank‐Erik , Norrving Bo , Matthews Paul , Chen Christopher , Mok Vincent , Düring Marco , Whiteley Will , Shuler Kirsten , Alonso Alvaro , Black Sandra E. , Brayne Carol , Chabriat Hugues , Cordonnier Charlotte , Doubal Fergus , Duzel Emrah , Ewers Michael , Frayne Richard , Hachinski Vladimir , Ikram Mohammad Arfan , Jessen Frank , Jouvent Eric , Linn Jennifer , O'Brien John , van Oostenbrugge Robert , Malik Rainer , Mazoyer Bernard , Schmidt Reinhold , Sposato Luciano A. , Stephan Blossom , Swartz Richard H. , Vernooij Meike , Viswanathan Anand , Werring David , Abe Koji , Allan Louise , Arba Francesco ,   VISTA Collaboration, Diener H.‐C. , Davis S. , Hankey G. , Lees K.R. , Ovbiagele B. , Weir C. , Bae Hee‐Joon , Bath Philip MW. , Bordet Regis , Breteler Monique , Choi Seong , Deary Ian , DeCarli Charles , Ebmeier Klaus , Feng Lei , Greenberg Steven M. , Ihara Masafumi , Kalaria Rajesh , Kim SanYun , Lim Jae‐Sung , Lindley Richard I. , Mead Gillian , Murray Alison , Quinn Terry , Ritchie Craig , Sacco Ralph , Al‐Shahi Salman Rustam , Sprigg Nikola , Sudlow Cathie , Thomas Alan , van Boxtel Martin , van der Grond Jeroen , van der Lugt Aad , Yang Yuan‐Han 
Published: August 2016

Dementia is a global problem and major target for health care providers. Although up to 45% of cases are primarily or partly due to cerebrovascular disease, little is known of these mechanisms or treatments because most dementia research still focuses on pure Alzheimer's disease. An improved understanding of the vascular contributions to neurodegeneration and dementia, particularly by small vessel disease, is hampered by imprecise data, including the incidence and prevalence of symptomatic and clinically “silent” cerebrovascular disease, long‐term outcomes (cognitive, stroke, or functional), and risk factors. New large collaborative studies with long follow‐up are expensive and time consuming, yet substantial data to advance the field are available. In an initiative funded by the Joint Programme for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, 55 international experts surveyed and assessed available data, starting with European cohorts, to promote data sharing to advance understanding of how vascular disease affects brain structure and function, optimize methods for cerebrovascular disease in neurodegeneration research, and focus future research on gaps in knowledge. Here, we summarize the results and recommendations from this initiative. We identified data from over 90 studies, including over 660,000 participants, many being additional to neurodegeneration data initiatives. The enthusiastic response means that cohorts from North America, Australasia, and the Asia Pacific Region are included, creating a truly global, collaborative, data sharing platform, linked to major national dementia initiatives. Furthermore, the revised World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases version 11 should facilitate recognition of vascular‐related brain damage by creating one category for all cerebrovascular disease presentations and thus accelerate identification of targets for dementia prevention.