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Abbiategrasso Brain Bank Protocol for Collecting, Processing and Characterizing Aging Brains
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Microinfarct pathology, dementia, and cognitive systems.

Zoe Arvanitakis1, Sue E Leurgans, Lisa L Barnes

  • 1Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, 600 S. Paulina, Suite 1020, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. zarvanit@rush.edu

Stroke
|January 8, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Microinfarcts are common in older adults and are linked to increased dementia risk, particularly multiple cortical microinfarcts. These brain lesions also impair global cognition, especially episodic memory, semantic memory, and perceptual speed.

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Assessing Cortical Cerebral Microinfarcts on High Resolution MR Images
08:39

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Published on: November 20, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Neuroscience
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • The role of microinfarcts in cognitive decline and dementia remains understudied.
  • Understanding microinfarcts is crucial for identifying dementia risk factors in aging populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between microinfarcts and dementia in community-dwelling older persons.
  • To examine the relationship between microinfarcts and global cognition, including five specific cognitive systems.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 425 participants in the Religious Orders Study, including annual clinical and neuropsychological evaluations.
  • Conducted neuropathologic examination of brain tissue to identify and quantify chronic microinfarcts.
  • Employed multiple regression analyses, adjusting for potential confounding factors like age, sex, education, and other brain pathologies.

Main Results:

  • Microinfarcts were present in 30% of participants; 45% of those with microinfarcts had no macroscopic infarcts.
  • Microinfarcts were associated with increased odds of dementia (OR, 1.77), especially multiple cortical microinfarcts.
  • Microinfarcts correlated with lower global cognition, specifically impacting episodic memory, semantic memory, and perceptual speed.

Conclusions:

  • Microinfarcts are a prevalent finding in older adults and are significantly associated with dementia.
  • Multiple cortical microinfarcts confer a higher risk of dementia and cognitive impairment.
  • Microinfarcts specifically contribute to deficits in perceptual speed, semantic memory, and episodic memory.