Age differences in periventricular and deep white matter lesions

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging and Neurology
• Cardiovascular Disease Research

Background:

• Deep white matter hyperintensity (DWMH) and periventricular (PV) white matter lesions are linked to aging and stroke risk.
• Understanding age-related changes in white matter lesions is crucial, especially in populations with cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age-related differences in DWMH and PV white matter lesion volumes.
• To account for collinearity and traditional cardiovascular risk factors in the analysis of white matter lesions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3T magnetic resonance imaging to classify white matter lesions as DWMH or PV.
• Analyzed 563 healthy family members of early-onset coronary artery disease patients.
• Employed random effects Tobit regression, adjusting for intracranial volume (ICV) and risk factors.

Main Results:

• Both DWMH and PV white matter lesions showed significant independent associations with age.
• For each decade of age, DWMH volume increased by 0.07 log units and PV volume by 0.18 log units.
• DWMH volumes were also associated with female sex, independent of age and ICV.

Conclusions:

• Periventricular and deep white matter lesions are independently and differentially associated with age in individuals with a family history of coronary artery disease.
• These associations persist even after controlling for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, highlighting age as a key determinant.