White matter hyperintensity shape is associated with long-term dementia risk

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Radiology
• Gerontology

Background:

• White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are common in older adults and are associated with cognitive decline.
• The relationship between WMH morphology and long-term dementia risk requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between white matter hyperintensity (WMH) shape and volume and the risk of developing dementia over the long term in community-dwelling older adults.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 3,077 participants in the Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility (AGES)-Reykjavik study.
• Baseline 1.5T brain MRI was performed, with participants followed for a mean of 9.9 years for dementia diagnosis.

Main Results:

• More irregular WMH shape (lower solidity, higher convexity, higher concavity index, higher fractal dimension) was associated with increased dementia risk.
• Higher total WMH volume, periventricular/confluent WMH volume, and deep WMH volume were also significantly associated with elevated long-term dementia risk.

Conclusions:

• WMH shape and volume are significant predictors of long-term dementia risk in older adults.
• WMH shape markers could potentially be used for patient prognosis and to guide selection for preventive dementia therapies.