MRI Scores for Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Prediction of Dementia

Cerebrovascular disease increases the risk for dementia. To determine whether an MRI score for cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) can assist in the prediction of dementia, investigators examined MRI scans from participants in three longitudinal cohorts. Participants' SVD ranged from mild and asymptomatic to severe and symptomatic. Each cohort underwent cognitive testing, and conversion to dementia was determined by published criteria or screening mental status examination cutoff scores. The investigators created an SVD score based on the number of microbleeds, lacunar infarcts, and white-matter hyperintensities visualized on MRI.

The three cohorts had a total of 1842 participants (mean age range, 66–70 years; 36%–58% female). Dementia was d…