SNAP MRI reveals association between distal cerebral arterial flow and cognitive function in an aging population

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Cerebrovascular Health
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Impaired blood flow is a key factor in cognitive impairment and dementia.
• Cerebral distal arterial flow, measured by SNAP MRI, correlates with cognitive improvement in carotid atherosclerosis patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utility of SNAP-based measurements for evaluating cerebrovascular function in an aging population.
• To explore the relationship between SNAP-derived distal cerebral arterial flow (dCAF) and cognitive status.

Main Methods:

• Collected neurovascular MRI data from 36 aging participants (cognitively unimpaired and impaired).
• Quantified white matter hyperintensities (WMH), cerebral blood flow (CBF), and the dCAF index using SNAP MRI.
• Assessed cognitive function with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS).

Main Results:

• The dCAF index differed significantly between cognitively unimpaired and impaired groups.
• The dCAF index showed a significant correlation with the total RBANS score.
• CBF correlated with the dCAF index, but neither CBF nor WMH correlated significantly with RBANS scores.

Conclusions:

• SNAP MRI-derived dCAF is a valuable tool for assessing cognition-related cerebrovascular conditions in aging individuals.
• dCAF may serve as a potential imaging biomarker for cognitive health in aging.