Dissecting the Association Between Incidental Brain Lesions and Cognitive Dysfunction

The study provides evidence that white-matter hyperintensities and silent brain infarcts are not benign and are associated with cognitive dysfunction.

With the increasing use of brain imaging tests in recent decades, a substantial proportion of middle-aged patients have incidental lesions detected on brain MRI. These lesions include “silent” strokes and white-matter hyperintensities (WMHs). Whether these are related to vascular risk factors and their clinical importance has been debated. To examine this association, researchers conducted a study of 7547 adults aged 35 to 69 years who were free of cardiovascular disease at baseline. Participants had MRI brain scans, were evaluated for vascular risk factors with the INTERHEART risk score, and underwent cognitive assessment with the Digit Symbol Substitution Test and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Number of years of education was recorde…

Reviewing Author

Seemant Chaturvedi, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBayer Pharmaceuticals; Novartis

Grant/Research SupportNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Editorial BoardsNeurology; Stroke

Seemant Chaturvedi, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBayer Pharmaceuticals; Novartis

Grant/Research SupportNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Editorial BoardsNeurology; Stroke

Dissecting the Association Between Incidental Brain Lesions and Cognitive Dysfunction

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Reviewing Author