TY - JOUR
T1 - High white matter hyperintensity burden in strategic white matter tracts relates to worse global cognitive performance in community-dwelling individuals
AU - Biesbroek, J Matthijs
AU - Lam, Bonnie Y K
AU - Zhao, Lei
AU - Tang, Yumi
AU - Wang, Zhaolu
AU - Abrigo, Jill
AU - Chu, Winnie W C
AU - Wong, Adrian
AU - Shi, Lin
AU - Kuijf, Hugo J
AU - Biessels, Geert Jan
AU - Mok, Vincent C T
N1 - Funding Information:
The research of VCT Mok was supported by the National Key Research and Development Programme of China ( 2016YFC1300600 ) and General Research Fund of Research Grants Council (reference number CUHK471911 ). The research of JM Biesbroek was supported by a Neuroscience and Cognition seed grant from Utrecht University . The research of GJ Biessels was supported by Vici Grant 91816616 from the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMW).
Funding Information:
The research of VCT Mok was supported by the National Key Research and Development Programme of China (2016YFC1300600) and General Research Fund of Research Grants Council (reference number CUHK471911). The research of JM Biesbroek was supported by a Neuroscience and Cognition seed grant from Utrecht University. The research of GJ Biessels was supported by Vici Grant 91816616 from the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMW).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020
PY - 2020/7/15
Y1 - 2020/7/15
N2 - BACKGROUND: White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are associated with cognitive impairment. The impact of WMH on cognitive domains (e.g. processing speed, executive functioning) depends on location. We determined whether the relevance of WMH location also applies to global cognitive functioning by testing if WMH in strategic white matter tracts are associated with global cognitive functioning independent of total WMH burden.METHODS: We included 830 community-dwelling individuals. WMH volume within two a priori specified strategic white matter tracts (forceps minor and anterior thalamic radiation) were entered in a linear regression model with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) as outcome variables and corrected for total WMH volume and other MRI markers for vascular injury and neurodegenerations (i.e. brain parenchymal fraction, and the presence of lacunes and microbleeds).RESULTS: WMH in the forceps minor and left anterior thalamic radiation inversely correlated with MoCA, and WMH in the forceps minor inversely correlated with MMSE, independent of total WMH volume and other MRI markers.CONCLUSION: The impact of WMH on global cognitive functioning depends on location. Whether this reflects accumulated impairment in isolated cognitive domains or disruption of a network that is crucially involved in global cognitive performance remains to be determined.
AB - BACKGROUND: White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are associated with cognitive impairment. The impact of WMH on cognitive domains (e.g. processing speed, executive functioning) depends on location. We determined whether the relevance of WMH location also applies to global cognitive functioning by testing if WMH in strategic white matter tracts are associated with global cognitive functioning independent of total WMH burden.METHODS: We included 830 community-dwelling individuals. WMH volume within two a priori specified strategic white matter tracts (forceps minor and anterior thalamic radiation) were entered in a linear regression model with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) as outcome variables and corrected for total WMH volume and other MRI markers for vascular injury and neurodegenerations (i.e. brain parenchymal fraction, and the presence of lacunes and microbleeds).RESULTS: WMH in the forceps minor and left anterior thalamic radiation inversely correlated with MoCA, and WMH in the forceps minor inversely correlated with MMSE, independent of total WMH volume and other MRI markers.CONCLUSION: The impact of WMH on global cognitive functioning depends on location. Whether this reflects accumulated impairment in isolated cognitive domains or disruption of a network that is crucially involved in global cognitive performance remains to be determined.
KW - Cognitive impairment
KW - Dementia
KW - Lesion-symptom mapping
KW - Small vessel disease
KW - White matter hyperintensities
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85083305243&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jns.2020.116835
DO - 10.1016/j.jns.2020.116835
M3 - Article
C2 - 32330699
SN - 0022-510X
VL - 414
SP - 1
EP - 6
JO - Journal of the Neurological Sciences
JF - Journal of the Neurological Sciences
M1 - 116835
ER -