Cognitive Functions in Subjects with Incidental Cerebral Hyperintensities

Abstract

We investigated the association between incidental cerebral hyperintensities (CH) found by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cognitive functions in neurologically normal, nondemented subjects. Semiquantitative scores for MRI lesions and those for brain atrophy were compared with the results of extensive cognitive examinations using multivariate analysis. There was no correlation between CH and cognition, except that periventricular hyperintensities, especially those in posterior locations, were associated with reduced performance in the Stroop test. Overall cognitive functions were associated with age, and age was a predominant factor in the prefrontal functions. Brain atrophy was associated more with decline of the posterior and dorsolateral frontal brain functions. We suggest that disturbances in attention and speed may initially result from incidental CH, while other cognitive functions remain unaffected.

Symptoms, Vascular Risk Factors and Blood-Brain Barrier Function in Relation to CT White-Matter Changes in Dementia

“…Our results suggest that a specific symptom pattern is related to the pathological changes underlying WMCs in demented patients, which is in agreement with other studies that found WMCs related to mental slowness [18]and gait deficits [19]. Still other studies found that, in healthy subjects, reduced performance on psychomotor speed tasks was related to incidental white-matter foci on MRI [20, 21, 22], probably representing a preclinical state of the white-matter-associated subcortical syndrome.…”

Prenatal undernutrition and cognitive function in late adulthood

“…The lower Stroop scores achieved by people suffering from schizophrenia have been suggested to be caused by a dysfunction of the anterior cingulated gyrus, which may play an important role in selective attention (20,21). White-matter lesions have also been associated with reduced Stroop task performance (22,23) and increase with age, supporting the abovementioned suggestion that the decreased Stroop performance in those exposed to famine in early gestation is because of an accelerated aging process.…”

Advances in white matter imaging: A review of in vivo magnetic resonance methodologies and their applicability to the study of development and aging

“…For example, in a sample of healthy elderly patients, Ylikoski et al showed a significant relationship between the severity of leukoaraiosis (seen on conventional T2-weighted MR images as hyperintense white matter lesions) and performance on neuropsychological measures of attention and processing speed (Ylikoski et al, 1993). Fukui showed a relationship between white matter hyperintensities and poor performance on a speeded naming task (Fukui et al, 1994). In a large sample of elderly subjects, white matter hyperintensities were found to correlate with performance on a speeded task (Longstreth et al, 1996).…”