Association Between Periventricular and Subcortical White Matter Hyperintensities and Cognition in a Local Population

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Radiology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are associated with cognitive decline.
• WMH risk factors are common in the local population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between overall and regional WMH and cognitive function.
• To assess the prognostic value of WMH in cognitive decline.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of adults undergoing head MRI and cognitive assessment.
• WMH severity scored using the Fazekas scale (0-3).
• Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) used for cognitive function; adjusted for hypertension, diabetes, and smoking.

Main Results:

• Negative associations found between overall, periventricular (PV), and subcortical (SC) WMH Fazekas scores and MoCA scores.
• Overall WMH (R ² = 0.097), PV WMH (R ² = 0.050), and SC WMH (R ² = 0.036) all correlated with MoCA scores.
• Significant negative associations: overall (B = -2.11, p < 0.001), PV (B = -1.46, p < 0.001), and SC (B = -1.21, p = 0.002).

Conclusions:

• MRI-detected WMH are associated with cognitive function, supporting their prognostic use.
• Stronger associations with periventricular WMH suggest potential for revised assessment scales.
• Standardizing WMH assessment in brain MRI reports may improve patient outcomes.