Baseline White Matter Hyperintensities and Hippocampal Volume are Associated With Conversion From Normal Cognition to...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neuroimaging
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional stage between normal cognition and dementia.
• Understanding the underlying pathologies of MCI is crucial for early detection and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of cerebrovascular disease and neurodegeneration with MCI.
• To examine these associations at baseline and for conversion from normal cognition to MCI over time.

Main Methods:

• Utilized brain MRI and neuropsychological assessments from the Framingham Offspring study.
• Quantified white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume, covert brain infarcts, hippocampal volume, and total cerebral brain volume.
• Classified participants as cognitively normal or MCI at baseline and follow-up.

Main Results:

• Baseline white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume and hippocampal volume were associated with MCI diagnosis cross-sectionally.
• These baseline markers also predicted conversion from normal cognition to MCI at 6.5-year follow-up.
• Annualized changes in total cerebral brain volume and hippocampal volume were linked to MCI conversion.

Conclusions:

• Baseline WMH and hippocampal volume serve as significant predictors for the progression to MCI.
• These findings underscore the combined contribution of vascular pathology and neurodegeneration in the development of MCI.