Long-term cognitive and neurovascular changes after carotid endarterectomy

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) has been associated with both cognitive decline and improvement, but the underlying neurovascular mechanisms are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between neurovascular indices and cognitive changes after CEA.

We studied 55 patients with severe (≥70%) symptomatic or asymptomatic carotid stenosis before and six months after CEA. A wide array of neuropsychological tests was arranged in eight cognitive domains and cognitive functions specific to hemisphere ipsilateral to operation. Differences in cognitive performance between patients and 38 matching healthy controls were studied with linear mixed models. Neurovascular functioning and microembolic signals were assessed with transcranial Doppler ultrasound of the middle cerebral artery. Associations between neurovascular indices and cognitive change were assessed with linear regression analyses.

On group level, the CEA patients improved more than controls in working memory, whereas no cognitive deterioration was detected. Also on individual level, improvement was most frequently observed in working memory. Worse preoperative cerebrovascular reactivity was related with improvement in cognitive functions of the ipsilateral hemisphere. Low preoperative pulsatility index was associated with improvement in executive functioning and ipsilateral cognitive functions. Poorer preoperative blood flow velocity associated with improvement in complex attention. Microembolic signals were rare.

The present findings suggest that CEA may have beneficial long-term effects on cognition. These effects may specifically involve patients with impaired preoperative circulatory adaptive mechanisms.