White matter integrity in small vessel disease is related to cognition

Cerebral small vessel disease, including white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and lacunes of presumed vascular origin, is common in elderly people and is related to cognitive impairment and dementia. One possible mechanism could be the disruption of white matter tracts (both within WMH and normal-app...

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Main Authors: Anil M. Tuladhar, Anouk G.W. van Norden, Karlijn F. de Laat, Marcel P. Zwiers, Ewoud J. van Dijk, David G. Norris, Frank-Erik de Leeuw
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2015-01-01
Series:NeuroImage: Clinical
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213158215000212
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author Anil M. Tuladhar
Anouk G.W. van Norden
Karlijn F. de Laat
Marcel P. Zwiers
Ewoud J. van Dijk
David G. Norris
Frank-Erik de Leeuw
author_facet Anil M. Tuladhar
Anouk G.W. van Norden
Karlijn F. de Laat
Marcel P. Zwiers
Ewoud J. van Dijk
David G. Norris
Frank-Erik de Leeuw
author_sort Anil M. Tuladhar
collection DOAJ
description Cerebral small vessel disease, including white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and lacunes of presumed vascular origin, is common in elderly people and is related to cognitive impairment and dementia. One possible mechanism could be the disruption of white matter tracts (both within WMH and normal-appearing white matter) that connect distributed brain regions involved in cognitive functions. Here, we investigated the relation between microstructural integrity of the white matter and cognitive functions in patients with small vessel disease. The Radboud University Nijmegen Diffusion tensor and Magnetic resonance Cohort study is a prospective cohort study among 444 independently living, non-demented elderly with cerebral small vessel disease, aged between 5500 and 85 years. All subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging scanning and an extensive neuropsychological assessment. We showed that loss of microstructural integrity of the white matter at specific locations was related to specific cognitive disturbances, which was mainly located in the normal-appearing white matter (p < 0.05, FWE-corrected for multiple comparisons). The microstructural integrity in the genu and splenium showed the highest significant relation with global cognitive function and executive functions, in the cingulum bundle with verbal memory performance. Associations between diffusion tensor imaging parameters and most cognitive domains remained present after adjustment for WMH and lacunes. In conclusion, cognitive disturbances in subjects with cerebral small vessel disease are related to microstructural integrity of multiple white matter fibers (within WMH and normal-appearing white matter) connecting different cortical and subcortical regions.
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spelling doaj.art-b1afea67b6774cb8961e8d159e0f01c52022-12-22T00:24:39ZengElsevierNeuroImage: Clinical2213-15822015-01-017C51852410.1016/j.nicl.2015.02.003White matter integrity in small vessel disease is related to cognitionAnil M. Tuladhar0Anouk G.W. van Norden1Karlijn F. de Laat2Marcel P. Zwiers3Ewoud J. van Dijk4David G. Norris5Frank-Erik de Leeuw6Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Radboudumc, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500 HB, The NetherlandsDepartment of Neurology, Amphia Ziekenhuis, Breda, The NetherlandsDepartment of Neurology, HagaZiekenhuis, Den Haag, The NetherlandsDonders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500 HB, The NetherlandsDonders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Radboudumc, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500 HB, The NetherlandsDonders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500 HB, The NetherlandsDonders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Radboudumc, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500 HB, The NetherlandsCerebral small vessel disease, including white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and lacunes of presumed vascular origin, is common in elderly people and is related to cognitive impairment and dementia. One possible mechanism could be the disruption of white matter tracts (both within WMH and normal-appearing white matter) that connect distributed brain regions involved in cognitive functions. Here, we investigated the relation between microstructural integrity of the white matter and cognitive functions in patients with small vessel disease. The Radboud University Nijmegen Diffusion tensor and Magnetic resonance Cohort study is a prospective cohort study among 444 independently living, non-demented elderly with cerebral small vessel disease, aged between 5500 and 85 years. All subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging scanning and an extensive neuropsychological assessment. We showed that loss of microstructural integrity of the white matter at specific locations was related to specific cognitive disturbances, which was mainly located in the normal-appearing white matter (p < 0.05, FWE-corrected for multiple comparisons). The microstructural integrity in the genu and splenium showed the highest significant relation with global cognitive function and executive functions, in the cingulum bundle with verbal memory performance. Associations between diffusion tensor imaging parameters and most cognitive domains remained present after adjustment for WMH and lacunes. In conclusion, cognitive disturbances in subjects with cerebral small vessel disease are related to microstructural integrity of multiple white matter fibers (within WMH and normal-appearing white matter) connecting different cortical and subcortical regions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213158215000212Cerebral small vessel diseaseCognitionTract-based spatial statisticsWhite matter integrity
spellingShingle Anil M. Tuladhar
Anouk G.W. van Norden
Karlijn F. de Laat
Marcel P. Zwiers
Ewoud J. van Dijk
David G. Norris
Frank-Erik de Leeuw
White matter integrity in small vessel disease is related to cognition
NeuroImage: Clinical
Cerebral small vessel disease
Cognition
Tract-based spatial statistics
White matter integrity
title White matter integrity in small vessel disease is related to cognition
title_full White matter integrity in small vessel disease is related to cognition
title_fullStr White matter integrity in small vessel disease is related to cognition
title_full_unstemmed White matter integrity in small vessel disease is related to cognition
title_short White matter integrity in small vessel disease is related to cognition
title_sort white matter integrity in small vessel disease is related to cognition
topic Cerebral small vessel disease
Cognition
Tract-based spatial statistics
White matter integrity
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213158215000212
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