Mapping the contribution and strategic distribution patterns of neuroimaging features of small vessel disease in poststroke cognitive impairment

2018 ◽  
Vol 89 (9) ◽  
pp. 918-926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Shi ◽  
Lei Zhao ◽  
Fu Ki Yeung ◽  
Shun Yiu Wong ◽  
Ronald K T Chan ◽  
...  

ObjectivesIndividual neuroimaging features of small vessel disease (SVD) have been reported to influence poststroke cognition. This study aimed to investigate the joint contribution and strategic distribution patterns of multiple types of SVD imaging features in poststroke cognitive impairment.MethodsWe studied 145 first-ever ischaemic stroke patients with MRI and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) examined at baseline. The local burdens of acute ischaemic lesion (AIL), white matter hyperintensity, lacune, enlarged perivascular space and cross-sectional atrophy were quantified and entered into support vector regression (SVR) models to associate with the global and domain scores of MoCA. The SVR models were optimised with feature selection through 10-fold cross-validations. The contribution of SVD features to MoCA scores was measured by the prediction accuracy in the corresponding SVR model after optimisation.ResultsThe combination of the neuroimaging features of SVD contributed much more to the MoCA deficits on top of AILs compared with individual SVD features, and the cognitive impact of different individual SVD features was generally similar. As identified by the optimal SVR models, the important SVD-affected regions were mainly located in the basal ganglia and white matter around it, although the specific regions varied for MoCA and its domains.ConclusionsMultiple types of SVD neuroimaging features jointly had a significant impact on global and domain cognitive functionings after stroke on top of AILs. The map of strategic cognitive-relevant regions of SVD features may help clinicians to understand their complementary impact on poststroke cognition.

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 1653-1667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulu Shi ◽  
Michael J Thrippleton ◽  
Stephen D Makin ◽  
Ian Marshall ◽  
Mirjam I Geerlings ◽  
...  

White matter hyperintensities are frequent on neuroimaging of older people and are a key feature of cerebral small vessel disease. They are commonly attributed to chronic hypoperfusion, although whether low cerebral blood flow is cause or effect is unclear. We systematically reviewed studies that assessed cerebral blood flow in small vessel disease patients, performed meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis of potential confounders. Thirty-eight studies ( n = 4006) met the inclusion criteria, including four longitudinal and 34 cross-sectional studies. Most cerebral blood flow data were from grey matter. Twenty-four cross-sectional studies ( n = 1161) were meta-analysed, showing that cerebral blood flow was lower in subjects with more white matter hyperintensity, globally and in most grey and white matter regions (e.g. mean global cerebral blood flow: standardised mean difference−0.71, 95% CI −1.12, −0.30). These cerebral blood flow differences were attenuated by excluding studies in dementia or that lacked age-matching. Four longitudinal studies ( n = 1079) gave differing results, e.g., more baseline white matter hyperintensity predated falling cerebral blood flow (3.9 years, n = 575); cerebral blood flow was low in regions that developed white matter hyperintensity (1.5 years, n = 40). Cerebral blood flow is lower in subjects with more white matter hyperintensity cross-sectionally, but evidence for falling cerebral blood flow predating increasing white matter hyperintensity is conflicting. Future studies should be longitudinal, obtain more white matter data, use better age-correction and stratify by clinical diagnosis.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catriona R Stewart ◽  
Michael S Stringer ◽  
Yulu Shi ◽  
Michael J Thrippleton ◽  
Joanna M Wardlaw

AbstractCerebral small vessel disease is a major contributor to stroke and dementia, characterised by white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on neuroimaging. WMH are associated with reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) cross-sectionally, though longitudinal associations remain unclear. We updated a 2016 meta-analysis, identifying 30 studies, 27 cross-sectional (n=2956) and 3 longitudinal (n=440), published since 2016. Cross-sectionally, we meta-analysed 10 new studies with 24 previously reported studies, total 34 (n=2180), finding lower CBF to be associated with worse WMH burden (mean global CBF: standardised mean difference: −0.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.64,-0.27). Longitudinally, the association of baseline CBF with WMH progression varied: the largest study (5 years, n=252) found no associations, while another small study (4.5 years, n=52) found that low CBF in the periventricular WMH penumbra predicted WMH progression. We could not meta-analyse longitudinal studies due to different statistical and methodological approaches. We found lower CBF within WMH compared to normal appearing white matter (novel meta-analysis; 5 cross-sectional studies; n=295; SMD: −1.51, 95% CI: −1.94,-1.07). These findings highlight that relationships between resting CBF and WMH are complex and that more longitudinal studies analysing regional CBF and subsequent WMH change are required to determine the role of CBF in small vessel disease progression.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Forrest Lowe ◽  
Souvik Sen ◽  
Hamdi S Adam ◽  
Ryan Demmer ◽  
Bruce A Wasserman ◽  
...  

Background: Prior studies have shown the association between periodontal disease, lacunar strokes and cognitive impairment. Using the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort study we investigated the relationship between periodontal disease (PD) and the development of MRI verified small vessel disease. Methods: Using the ARIC database data we extracted data for 1143 (mean age 77 years, 76% white, 24% African-American and 45% male) participants assessed for PD (N=800) versus periodontal health (N=343). These participants were assessed for small vessel disease on 3T MRI as measured by the log of white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV). WMHV were derived from a semiautomated segmentation of FLAIR images. Student t-test was then used to evaluate the relationship between small vessel disease as the log of WMHV in subjects with PD or periodontal health. Based on WMHV the patients were grouped into quartiles and the association of PD with WMHV were tested using the group in periodontal health and lowest quartile of WMHV as the reference groups. Multinomial logistic regression was used to compute crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the higher quartiles of WMHV compared to the reference quartile. Results: There was a significant increase in the presence of small vessel disease measured as log WMHV in the PD cohort as compared to periodontal health cohort with p= 0.023 on Independent Sample t-est. Based on WMHV the subjects were grouped into quartiles 0-6.41, >6.41-11.56, >11.56-21.36 and >21.36 cu mm3). PD was associated with only the highest quartile of WMHV on univariate (crude OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.23-2.56) and multivariable (adjusted OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.06-2.44) analyses. The later was adjusted for age, race, gender, hypertension, diabetes and smoking. Conclusion: Based on this prospective cohort there is data to suggest that PD may be associated with cerebral small vessel disease. Maintaining proper dental health may decrease future risk for the associated lacunar strokes and vascular cognitive impairment.


Stroke ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanna Melkas ◽  
Sami Curtze ◽  
Gerli Sibolt ◽  
Niku K Oksala ◽  
Jukka Putaala ◽  
...  

Background: Association between high homocysteine level and cerebral small-vessel disease has been implicated in cross-sectional studies, but results from longitudinal studies have been less clear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether homocysteine level at 3-months poststroke relates to the occurrence of white matter changes (WMC), the surrogate of cerebral small-vessel disease. We also investigated whether it relates to the prognosis after ischemic stroke regarding the risk of dementia at 3-months and mortality in long-term follow-up. Methods: A total of 321 consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients aged 55 to 85 were included in the study and followed up to 12 years. Plasma homocysteine level and occurrence of WMC in MRI were measured 3 months poststroke and dementia according to DSM-III was evaluated at the same time. Findings: The median homocysteine level was 13.50 μmol/l (interquartile range [IQR] 10.60-18.50 μmol/l). Total of 81 patients (25.2%) had homocysteine level above 18.50 μmol/l. In logistic regression analysis, homocysteine level above 18.50 μmol/l was not associated with severe WMC nor with dementia at 3 months poststroke. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, homocysteine level above 18.50 μmol/l was not associated with survival in 12-year follow-up. For further analysis, the group was divided in quartiles according to homocysteine level. The quartiles did not differ in occurrence of severe WMC at baseline, in the risk of dementia at 3 months, nor in the risk of mortality in 12-year follow-up. Interpretation: In our poststroke cohort homocysteine level is not associated with WMC. Further, it does not relate to impaired prognosis manifested as dementia at 3 months or mortality in 12-year follow-up.


Diagnostics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 720
Author(s):  
Larisa A. Dobrynina ◽  
Zukhra Sh. Gadzhieva ◽  
Kamila V. Shamtieva ◽  
Elena I. Kremneva ◽  
Bulat M. Akhmetzyanov ◽  
...  

Introduction: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is the leading cause of vascular and mixed degenerative cognitive impairment (CI). The variability in the rate of progression of CSVD justifies the search for sensitive predictors of CI. Materials: A total of 74 patients (48 women, average age 60.6 ± 6.9 years) with CSVD and CI of varying severity were examined using 3T MRI. The results of diffusion tensor imaging with a region of interest (ROI) analysis were used to construct a predictive model of CI using binary logistic regression, while phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging and voxel-based morphometry were used to clarify the conditions for the formation of CI predictors. Results: According to the constructed model, the predictors of CI are axial diffusivity (AD) of the posterior frontal periventricular normal-appearing white matter (pvNAWM), right middle cingulum bundle (CB), and mid-posterior corpus callosum (CC). These predictors showed a significant correlation with the volume of white matter hyperintensity; arterial and venous blood flow, pulsatility index, and aqueduct cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow; and surface area of the aqueduct, volume of the lateral ventricles and CSF, and gray matter volume. Conclusion: Disturbances in the AD of pvNAWM, CB, and CC, associated with axonal damage, are a predominant factor in the development of CI in CSVD. The relationship between AD predictors and both blood flow and CSF flow indicates a disturbance in their relationship, while their location near the floor of the lateral ventricle and their link with indicators of internal atrophy, CSF volume, and aqueduct CSF flow suggest the importance of transependymal CSF transudation when these regions are damaged.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 776 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Thrippleton ◽  
Gordon Blair ◽  
Maria Valdes-Hernandez ◽  
Andreas Glatz ◽  
Scott Semple ◽  
...  

A protocol for evaluating ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIO) uptake and elimination in cerebral small vessel disease patients was developed and piloted. B1-insensitive R1 measurement was evaluated in vitro. Twelve participants with history of minor stroke were scanned at 3-T MRI including structural imaging, and R1 and R2* mapping. Participants were scanned (i) before and (ii) after USPIO (ferumoxytol) infusion, and again at (iii) 24–30 h and (iv) one month. Absolute and blood-normalised changes in R1 and R2* were measured in white matter (WM), deep grey matter (GM), white matter hyperintensity (WMH) and stroke lesion regions. R1 measurements were accurate across a wide range of values. R1 (p < 0.05) and R2* (p < 0.01) mapping detected increases in relaxation rate in all tissues immediately post-USPIO and at 24–30 h. R2* returned to baseline at one month. Blood-normalised R1 and R2* changes post-infusion and at 24–30 h were similar, and were greater in GM versus WM (p < 0.001). Narrower distributions were seen with R2* than for R1 mapping. R1 and R2* changes were correlated at 24–30 h (p < 0.01). MRI relaxometry permits quantitative evaluation of USPIO uptake; R2* appears to be more sensitive to USPIO than R1. Our data are explained by intravascular uptake alone, yielding estimates of cerebral blood volume, and did not support parenchymal uptake. Ferumoxytol appears to be eliminated at 1 month. The approach should be valuable in future studies to quantify both blood-pool USPIO and parenchymal uptake associated with inflammatory cells or blood-brain barrier leak.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 793-803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-wei Cao ◽  
Yao Wang ◽  
Quan Dong ◽  
Xue Chen ◽  
Yan-sheng Li ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBackground:Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is the common cause of cognitive decline in the old population. MRI can be used to clarify its mechanisms. However, the surrogate markers of MRI for early cognitive impairment in SVD remain uncertain to date. We investigated the cognitive impacts of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and brain volumetric measurements in a cohort of post-stroke non-dementia SVD patients.Methods:Fifty five non-dementia SVD patients were consecutively recruited and categorized into two groups as no cognitive impairment (NCI) (n = 23) or vascular mild cognitive impairment (VaMCI) (n = 32). Detailed neuropsychological assessment and multimodal MRI were completed.Results:The two groups differed significantly on Z scores of all cognitive domains (all p < 0.01) except for the language. There were more patients with hypertension (p = 0.038) or depression (p = 0.019) in the VaMCI than those in the NCI group. Multiple regression analysis of cognition showed periventricular mean diffusivity (MD) (β = −0.457, p < 0.01) and deep CMBs numbers (β = −0.352, p < 0.01) as the predictors of attention/executive function, which explained 45.2% of the total variance. Periventricular MD was the independent predictor for either memory (β = −0.314, p < 0.05) or visuo-spatial function (β = −0.375, p < 0.01); however, only small proportion of variance could be accounted for (9.8% and 12.4%, respectively). Language was not found to be correlated with any of the MRI parameters. No correlation was found between brain atrophic indices and any of the cognitive measures.Conclusion:Arteriosclerotic CMBs and periventricular white matter disintegrity seem to be independent MRI surrogated markers in the early stage of cognitive impairment in SVD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kay Jann ◽  
Xingfeng Shao ◽  
Samantha J. Ma ◽  
Steven Y. Cen ◽  
Lina D’Orazio ◽  
...  

Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) affects arterioles, capillaries, and venules and can lead to cognitive impairments and clinical symptomatology of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). VCID symptoms are similar to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) but the neurophysiologic alterations are less well studied, resulting in no established biomarkers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cerebral blood flow (CBF) measured by 3D pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) as a potential biomarker of VCID in a cohort of elderly Latinx subjects at risk of cSVD. Forty-five elderly Latinx subjects (12 males, 69 ± 7 years) underwent repeated MRI scans ∼6 weeks apart. CBF was measured using 3D pCASL in the whole brain, white matter and 4 main vascular territories (leptomeningeal anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral artery (leptoACA, leptoMCA, leptoPCA), as well as MCA perforator). The test-retest repeatability of CBF was assessed by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and within-subject coefficient of variation (wsCV). Absolute and relative CBF was correlated with gross cognitive measures and domain specific assessment of executive and memory function, vascular risks, and Fazekas scores and volumes of white matter hyperintensity (WMH). Neurocognitive evaluations were performed using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and neuropsychological test battery in the Uniform Data Set v3 (UDS3). Good to excellent test-retest repeatability was achieved (ICC = 0.77–0.85, wsCV 3–9%) for CBF measurements in the whole brain, white matter, and 4 vascular territories. Relative CBF normalized by global mean CBF in the leptoMCA territory was positively correlated with the executive function composite score, while relative CBF in the leptoMCA and MCA perforator territory was positively correlated with MoCA scores, controlling for age, gender, years of education, and testing language. Relative CBF in WM was negatively correlated with WMH volume and MoCA scores, while relative leptoMCA CBF was positively correlated with WMH volume. Reliable 3D pCASL CBF measurements were achieved in the cohort of elderly Latinx subjects. Relative CBF in the leptomeningeal and perforator MCA territories were the most likely candidate biomarker of VCID. These findings need to be replicated in larger cohorts with greater variability of stages of cSVD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fanny Quandt ◽  
Felix Fischer ◽  
Julian Schröder ◽  
Marlene Heinze ◽  
Iris Lettow ◽  
...  

Abstract Cerebral small vessel disease is a common disease in the older population and is recognized as a major risk factor for cognitive decline and stroke. Small vessel disease is considered a global brain disease impacting the integrity of neuronal networks resulting in disturbances of structural and functional connectivity. A core feature of cerebral small vessel disease commonly present on neuroimaging is white matter hyperintensities. We studied high-resolution resting-state EEG, leveraging source reconstruction methods, in 35 participants with varying degree of white matter hyperintensities without clinically evident cognitive impairment in an observational study. In patients with increasing white matter lesion load, global theta power was increased independently of age. Whole-brain functional connectivity revealed a disrupted network confined to the alpha band in participants with higher white matter hyperintensities lesion load. The decrease of functional connectivity was evident in long-range connections, mostly originating or terminating in the frontal lobe. Cognitive testing revealed no global cognitive impairment; however, some participants revealed deficits of executive functions that were related to larger white matter hyperintensities lesion load. In summary, participants without clinical signs of mild cognitive impairment or dementia showed oscillatory changes that were significantly related to white matter lesion load. Hence, oscillatory neuronal network changes due to white matter lesions might act as biomarker prior to clinically relevant behavioural impairment.


Stroke ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew S Markert ◽  
Chuanhui Dong ◽  
David Della-Morte ◽  
Eugene Roberts ◽  
Susanne Bartels ◽  
...  

Background: Changes in the extracranial vasculature may be associated with small vessel disease in the brain. We sought to examine the association of carotid stiffness and carotid diastolic diameter with white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV), a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measure for cerebral small vessel disease, in a multi-ethnic community-based cohort. Methods: We evaluated 1140 stroke-free participants in the Northern Manhattan study who underwent brain MRIs and high-resolution carotid ultrasounds. We used linear regression to examine carotid stiffness and diastolic diameter with WMHV after adjusting for sociodemographics, lifestyle behaviors, and traditional vascular risk factors. Results: Among 1140 participants (mean age: 70.6±9.0 years; 61% women; 15% White, 16% Black, 59% Hispanics), the mean carotid stiffness was 8.19 ± 5.39, mean carotid diastolic diameter was 6.16 ± 0.93 mm, and mean WMHV 0.68 ± 0.84. In a fully adjusted model, diastolic diameter was associated with log-WMHV (β=0.10, p=0.001). In a stratified multivariable linear model, greater carotid arterial stiffness and diastolic diameter were associated with log-WMHV among Hispanics (β=0.15, p=0.005 and β=0.13, p<0.001, respectively), but not among blacks or whites. Conclusion: Greater carotid stiffness and diastolic diameter were associated with greater WMHV independent of demographics and traditional vascular risk factors, especially among Hispanics. Further studies are needed to understand how these large artery characteristics relate to WMH formation and lesion load. Carotid ultrasound may be a useful tool to assess the risk of increased brain white matter disease in a pre-clinical stage.


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