Abstract
Objective:
Silent lacunar infarct (SLI) is associated with cognitive decline and linked to an increased risk of stroke and dementia. We examined the association of SLI with MRI measures of cortical thickness, subcortical and lateral ventricular shapes and cognition in 285 ethnic Chinese elderly.
Methods:
SLI, cortical thickness, shapes of subcortical and ventricular structures were quantified using MRI. The cognitive performance was assessed using comprehensive neuropsychological tests. Linear regression was used to examine associations among SLI, brain measures and cognition.
Results:
SLI was associated with atrophy in multiple subcortical structures, ventricular enlargement and widespread cortical thinning. Both SLI and atrophy were independently related to poorer performance in attention, memory and language domains. Only SLI was associated with visuomotor speed and executive function, while atrophy mediated the association between SLI and visuoconstruction.
Conclusions:
Our findings support a vascular contribution to neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1219-1225 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry |
| Volume | 84 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2013 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding:This work was supported by: a centre grant from the National Medical
Research Council (NMRC/CG/NUHS/2010), the Young Investigator Award at the
National University of Singapore (NUSYIA FY10 P07), the National University of
Singapore MOE AcRF Tier 1 and Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research
Fund Tier 2 (MOE2012-T2-2-130).
