Research study for people who have cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD, damaged small blood vessels in the brain) and a stroke, which may lead to impaired memory and thinking and then dementia

This study is looking for volunteers aged 50 or over. You must have recently had a stroke or a 'mini-stroke' (known as a TIA), which means your brain's blood supply was temporarily interrupted. Importantly, brain scans must also show that you have damage to the small blood vessels in your brain.

It's important that your health is stable, and you should be able to manage most daily tasks on your own or with only a little help. We also need to make sure you can safely take the study medications. There are some specific conditions that would prevent you from taking part, such as having certain other brain conditions, or if the drugs aren't suitable for you.

If you decide to take part, you'll be randomly assigned to one of four groups, like flipping a coin. You might receive cilostazol, isosorbide mononitrate, both drugs, or no drugs at all. You will take the assigned medication for six months, starting when you leave the hospital. The dose will gradually increase over the first few weeks, and you’ll receive clear instructions on how and when to take it.

Throughout the study, research staff from the hospital will call you several times (after 1-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks, and at 6 months) to check how you’re doing, if the dose has been increased correctly, and if you’ve had any side effects. After six months, when you finish taking the medication, a trained coordinator will call you to ask some questions about your well-being, do some memory and thinking tests over the phone, and check for any lasting side effects. The study aims to run until May 2028.