Brain Advance Access originally published online on June 9, 2005
Brain 2005 128(9):2034-2041; doi:10.1093/brain/awh553
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cerebral small-vessel disease and decline in information processing speed, executive function and memory
1 Department of Neurology and 2 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam and 3 Department of Neuropsychology, Psychiatry and Psychobiology, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Correspondence to: M. M. B. Breteler MD PhD, Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands E-mail: m.breteler{at}erasmusmc.nl
Cerebral small-vessel disease is common in older people and may contribute to the development of dementia. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between measures of cerebral small-vessel disease on MRI and the rate of decline in specific cognitive domains in participants from the prospective, population-based Rotterdam Scan Study. Participants were 60–90 years of age and free from dementia at baseline in 1995–1996. White matter lesions (WML), cerebral infarcts and generalized brain atrophy were assessed on the baseline MRI. We performed neuropsychological testing at baseline and repeatedly in 1999–2000 and in 2001–2003. We used random-effects models for repeated measures to examine the association between quantitative MRI measures and rate of decline in measures of global cognitive function, information processing speed, executive function and memory. There were a total of 2266 assessments for the 832 participants in the study, with an average time from the initial to last assessment of 5.2 years. Increasing severity of periventricular WML and generalized brain atrophy and the presence of brain infarcts on MRI were associated with a steeper decline in cognitive function. These structural brain changes were specifically associated with decline in information processing speed and executive function. The associations between MRI measures of cerebral small-vessel disease and cognitive decline did not change after additional adjustment for vascular risk factors or depressed mood. After exclusion of participants with an incident stroke, some of the associations of periventricular WML, brain infarcts and generalized brain atrophy with measures of information processing speed and executive function were no longer significant. This may indicate that stroke plays an intermediate role in the relationship between cerebral small-vessel disease and cognitive decline. Our results suggest that in older people cerebral small-vessel disease may contribute to cognitive decline by affecting information processing speed and executive function.
Key Words: ischaemic leucoaraiosis; lacunar infarction; MRI; executive function; cognitive function
Abbreviations: APOE = apolipoprotein E gene; MMSE = Mini-Mental State Examination; WML = white matter lesions
Received May 20, 2004. Revised October 9, 2004. Second revision April 23, 2005. Accepted May 3, 2005.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  L. Delano-Wood, N. Abeles, J. M. Sacco, C. E. Wierenga, N. R. Horne, and A. Bozoki Regional White Matter Pathology in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Differential Influence of Lesion Type on Neuropsychological Functioning Stroke, March 1, 2008; 39(3): 794 - 799. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. O'Sullivan Leukoaraiosis Practical Neurology, January 1, 2008; 8(1): 26 - 38. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 O. A. Selnes, M. A. Grega, M. M. Bailey, L. Pham, S. Zeger, W. A. Baumgartner, and G. M. McKhann Neurocognitive Outcomes 3 Years After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: A Controlled Study Ann. Thorac. Surg., December 1, 2007; 84(6): 1885 - 1896. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Verdelho, S. Madureira, J. M Ferro, A.-M. Basile, H. Chabriat, T. Erkinjuntti, F. Fazekas, M. Hennerici, J. O'Brien, L. Pantoni, et al. Differential impact of cerebral white matter changes, diabetes, hypertension and stroke on cognitive performance among non-disabled elderly. The LADIS study J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, December 1, 2007; 78(12): 1325 - 1330. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L BRONGE and L-O WAHLUND White matter changes in dementia: does radiology matter? Br. J. Radiol., December 1, 2007; 80(Special_Issue_2): S115 - S120. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Debette, S. Bombois, A. Bruandet, X. Delbeuck, S. Lepoittevin, C. Delmaire, D. Leys, and F. Pasquier Subcortical Hyperintensities Are Associated With Cognitive Decline in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment Stroke, November 1, 2007; 38(11): 2924 - 2930. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. M. de Lau, H. Refsum, A D. Smith, C. Johnston, and M. M. Breteler Plasma folate concentration and cognitive performance: Rotterdam Scan Study Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, September 1, 2007; 86(3): 728 - 734. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. V. Bowler Modern concept of vascular cognitive impairment Br. Med. Bull., September 1, 2007; 83(1): 291 - 305. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B. van Harten, J. Oosterman, D. Muslimovic, B.-J. P. van Loon, P. Scheltens, and H. C. Weinstein Cognitive impairment and MRI correlates in the elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus Age Ageing, March 1, 2007; 36(2): 164 - 170. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. K. Liem, J. van der Grond, J. Haan, R. van den Boom, M. D. Ferrari, Y. M. Knaap, M. H. Breuning, M. A. van Buchem, H. A.M. Middelkoop, and S. A.J. Lesnik Oberstein Lacunar Infarcts Are the Main Correlate With Cognitive Dysfunction in CADASIL Stroke, March 1, 2007; 38(3): 923 - 928. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S.M. Grieve, L.M. Williams, R.H. Paul, C.R. Clark, and E. Gordon Cognitive Aging, Executive Function, and Fractional Anisotropy: A Diffusion Tensor MR Imaging Study AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., February 1, 2007; 28(2): 226 - 235. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. D. Terry, J. L. Abramson, J. D. Neaton, and for the MRFIT Research Group Blood Pressure and Risk of Death from External Causes among Men Screened for the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial Am. J. Epidemiol., February 1, 2007; 165(3): 294 - 301. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. V. Bowler and P. B. Gorelick Advances in Vascular Cognitive Impairment 2006 Stroke, February 1, 2007; 38(2): 241 - 244. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. Inzitari, M. Simoni, G. Pracucci, A. Poggesi, A. M. Basile, H. Chabriat, T. Erkinjuntti, F. Fazekas, J. M. Ferro, M. Hennerici, et al. Risk of Rapid Global Functional Decline in Elderly Patients With Severe Cerebral Age-Related White Matter Changes: The LADIS Study Arch Intern Med, January 8, 2007; 167(1): 81 - 88. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. King, X. Song, K. Rockwood, and on behalf of the CIVIC Investigators Cognitive Impairment of Acute Onset in the Consortium to Investigate Vascular Impairment of Cognition (CIVIC) Study: Occurrence, Correlates, and Outcomes Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, October 1, 2006; 14(10): 893 - 896. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. G. Munoz Leukoaraiosis and Ischemia: Beyond the Myth Stroke, June 1, 2006; 37(6): 1348 - 1349. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. Chui and I. Skoog Advances in Vascular Cognitive Impairment 2005 Stroke, February 1, 2006; 37(2): 323 - 325. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|