Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026
Evaluation of the Cognitive Performance of Hypertensive Patients with Silent Cerebrovascular Lesions
Published on: April 23, 2021
[Headache and cognitive impairment in patients with chronic cerebral ischemia]
V A Vershuta1, O N Voskresenskaya1, G R Tabeeva1
1I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia.
Objective:
Analysis of the relationship between cognitive impairment (CI) and headache (HA) in patients with chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI).
Material And Methods:
The study included 97 patients aged 50 to 85 years (65 females, 32 males) diagnosed with CCI. The test group consisted of 64 patients with HA, and the comparison group included 33 patients without HA. The presence and severity of CI were determined by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Score, and the brain white matter hyperintensity (WMHI) was determined by MRI according to the Fazekas scale.
Results:
Based on the HA diagnostic criteria of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition, primary forms of HA were diagnosed in 48 (75%) patients, tension headache (THA) prevailed (43.8%), migraine was diagnosed in 23.4%, and combined THA and migraine in 7.8%; secondary HA was detected in 16 (25%) patients. Moderate CI was more common in patients with CCI and HA than those without HA (48 vs. 18 subjects, respectively, p=0.041). In the test group, the mean MoCA total score was 19 [17, 24] vs. 23 [20, 26] in the comparison group (p=0.0001). Statistically significant differences were found when comparing the Fazekas score in WMHI groups (p=0.038).
Conclusion:
HA can be a risk factor for CCI progression and should be considered when developing therapeutic strategies.
