Asymptomatic lacunes and their relationship to intellectual disturbances

We studied risk factors and the relationship of lacunes to diabetes mellitus, age, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis and also to intellectual impairment, comparing brain MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) findings to the multiple risk factors and the results of a cube-handdrawing test. Brain MRI was performed using a Shimazu SMT-150, 1.5 Tesla, in 118 asymptomatic NIDDM and 39 asymptomatic nondiabetic patients. In diabetics, 65 had lacunes and the incidence of lacunes was significantly higher in diabetics with coronary insufficiency by ECG and hypertension, but not significantly different in those with or without the other risk factors. Cube hand-drawing is a good indication of space cognition ability supported by the wide association areas of the brain. Drawing was tested in 41 diabetics and 39 nondiabetics. Correlation of lacunes to deformity in drawing and age was high in both diabetics and nondiabetics. Multiple lacunes were closely related to intellectual impairment.