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Lower cardiac output is associated with greater white matter hyperintensities in older adults with cardiovascular

Angela L Jefferson1, David F Tate, Athena Poppas

  • 1Department of Neurology, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA. angelaj@bu.edu

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|July 5, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Lower cardiac output (systemic blood flow) was linked to increased white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) near brain nuclei in older adults. This suggests reduced blood flow may impact white matter integrity.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Cardiology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are common in older adults and linked to cerebrovascular disease.
  • Cardiac output, a key measure of systemic blood flow, plays a vital role in maintaining organ perfusion, including the brain.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the preliminary association between cardiac output and brain structural MRI indices, specifically WMHs.
  • To explore the relationship between systemic blood flow and white matter integrity in older adults with cardiovascular disease.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted in a university medical setting.
  • Thirty-six older adults (56-85 years) without dementia but with prevalent cardiovascular disease were included.
  • Cardiac output and WMHs were measured using MRI.

Main Results:

  • An inverse relationship was observed between WMHs adjacent to subcortical nuclei and cardiac output (r=-0.48, P=.03), even after adjusting for age and hypertension.
  • As cardiac output decreased, WMHs adjacent to subcortical nuclei significantly increased.
  • No significant associations were found between cardiac output and total WMHs or periventricular WMHs.

Conclusions:

  • Preliminary findings indicate that reduced systemic blood flow, measured by cardiac output, is inversely associated with WMHs near subcortical nuclei.
  • These results suggest that cerebrovascular degeneration and chronic hypoperfusion may heighten white matter vulnerability to blood flow changes in the elderly.
  • Further research is warranted to understand the implications of these findings for brain health in aging populations.
Abstract

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