Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
07:30
Evaluation of the Cognitive Performance of Hypertensive Patients with Silent Cerebrovascular Lesions
Published on: April 23, 2021
White-matter lesions without lacunar infarcts in CADASIL
Sarah Benisty1, Sonia Reyes, Ophelia Godin
1Department of Geriatrics , Lariboisière-Fernand Widal Hospital, AP-HP, Paris Denis Diderot University, Paris, France.
Journal of Alzheimer'S Disease : JAD
|February 15, 2012
Summary
Cerebral Autosomal-Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) patients with white-matter hyperintensities (WMH) show cognitive deficits. However, severe disability or dementia requires additional lesions beyond WMH.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroimaging
- Genetics
Background:
- Small vessel disease, particularly Cerebral Autosomal-Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), is characterized by white-matter hyperintensities (WMH).
- The clinical impact of WMH in CADASIL, especially in the absence of lacunar infarcts, requires further elucidation.
- Understanding the relationship between WMH burden, microhemorrhages, and cognitive function is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the clinical spectrum of white-matter hyperintensities (WMH) in Cerebral Autosomal-Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) patients.
- To compare cognitive performance in CADASIL patients with WMH, with and without lacunar infarcts.
- To investigate the association between WMH volume, microhemorrhages, brain parenchymal fraction (BPF), and cognitive outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Selected 66 CADASIL patients with WMH but no lacunar infarcts from a cohort of 248.
- Compared their characteristics with CADASIL patients who had lacunar infarcts.
- Assessed cognitive functions using Trail Making Test (TMT) A and B, Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS), verbal fluency, and delayed memory recall, correlating these with normalized WMH volume (nWMH), microhemorrhages, and BPF.
Main Results:
- Normalized WMH volume (nWMH) significantly correlated with executive function (TMT A/B) and attention (MDRS subscore), but not with brain parenchymal fraction (BPF).
- Microhemorrhages were associated with worse TMT B times and attention scores, even after adjusting for WMH.
- All participants had Mini-Mental State Examination scores ≥24, indicating no severe cognitive impairment or disability.
Conclusions:
- CADASIL patients with isolated WMH can exhibit executive and attention deficits.
- Significant disability or dementia in CADASIL appears to necessitate additional cerebrovascular lesions beyond WMH.
- WMH burden and microhemorrhages are important imaging markers influencing cognitive status in CADASIL.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:25Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT
Calcium-Scoring CT ScanA calcium-scoring CT scan, also known as coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan, detects calcium deposits in the coronary arteries. This test assesses the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), which can lead to cardiovascular events such as angina, heart failure, and sudden cardiac arrest.A calcium-scoring CT scan is generally recommended for individuals at intermediate risk of CAD without symptoms. It includes:Men aged 40-75 and women aged 50-75: Especially those with a...
01:22Dementia l: Introduction
Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...