Some risk factors of stroke may play a role in white matter hyperintensity (WMH). Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a recognised risk factor of stroke, but it is controversial whether MetS is also associated with WMH. We examined the association of MetS with the prevalence of WMH in acute stroke patients. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 246 acute ischemia stroke patients. The patients with acute stroke were clinically evaluated, including waistline circumference, blood pressure, glycaemia, serum triglyceride and high density lipoprotein cholesterol level. The degree of WMH was assessed by Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. MetS was diagnosed using the criteria by the National Cholesterol Education Adult Treatment Panel III. MetS was the independent variable evaluated in Binary regression analyses. It is found that old age (>60 years old), MetS and smoking were significantly associated with WMH in univariate analysis (p < .05). Spearman rank correlation showed that old age and MetS are related to WMH (r = 0.18, p = .005 and r = 0.18, p = .004, respectively). Hypertension is weakly but not significantly associated with WMH in correlation analysis (r = 0.11, p = .08). In multiple regression analysis, age and MetS remained independently associated with WMH (OR = 7.6, 95% CI 0.2–0.7 and OR = 11.7, 95% CI 0.1–0.5). Hypertension and hyperglycaemia tend to be associated but not significantly with WMH (p = .07, p = .08). Other MetS components such as large waist circumference and dyslipidaemia showed no association with WMH. After adjustment for age, WMH is significantly associated with MetS in stroke patients. Hypertension and hyperglycaemia tend to associated but not significantly with WMH in stroke patients.

Cerebral infarction, as the result of atheroma in large blood vessels, was one of the first explanations for dementia in older people. However, this was a relatively uncommon finding in those presenting with dementia and it was soon realized that subcortical infarctions due to non-atheromatous changes in small blood vessel walls were more important factors in cognitive decline. Furthermore, small vessel disease (SVD) producing lacunar infarcts (LI) and white matter changes increased dementia severity in individuals with only moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) found subcortical (lacunar) ‘silent infarcts’ and white matter changes were surrogate markers for SVD and increased significantly the likelihood of developing dementia. Detailed histopathological studies of SVD showed it was in fact a range of pathologies, but the aetiology of the most common type (arteriosclerosis/lipohyalinosis) is difficult to explain. Theories to explain SVD include effects of hypertension, a leaky blood–brain barrier (BBB), amyloid accumulation, microbleeds, venous changes and endothelial inflammation. Endothelial expressed inflammatory molecules could represent potential biomarkers of SVD. Many of the risk factors associated with SVD are also present in AD, such as diabetes, systemic hypertension and ageing; all of these can target the endothelium with the potential to initiate SVD, resulting in ischaemic changes and neurodegeneration, including AD pathology.

White matter alterations, leukoaraiosis (LA) on structural MRI, are associated with cognitive deficits and increased risk of dementia. LA may also impact on subjective memory complaints in otherwise healthy older adults. Little is known about the interplay between LA memory complaints and cognition. We investigated cognitive phenotypes associated with LA in 42 non-demented older adults categorized as having subjective cognitive complaints with no objective cognitive impairment—the subjective cognitive impairment group (SCI; n = 12), amnesic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI; n = 20), or healthy controls (HC; n = 11). We measured LA severity on MRI with a 40-point visual rating scale. Controlling for age and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score, analyses revealed multiple between-group differences. Follow-up linear regression models investigating the underlying contributors to each clinic group's cognitive profile indicated that LA contributed to learning slope variance (after accounting for age and MMSE) but only for the SCI group. Although the SCI group showed a significantly steeper learning slope when compared to HC and aMCI, increasing LA severity negatively impacted this group's rate of learning. This, in conjunction with the significant contribution of age on SCI learning slope performance variance suggests that greater LA burden at a younger age may contribute to subtle changes in learning for individuals with subjective cognitive complaints. (JINS, 2011, 17, 1104–1112)

Controversy surrounds the differences of the cognitive profile between mild cognitive impairment resulting from cerebral small vessel disease (MCI-SVD) and mild cognitive impairment associated with prodromal Alzheimer’s disease (MCI-AD). The aim of this study was to explore and compare the cognitive features of MCI-SVD and MCI-AD. MCI-SVD patients (n = 56), MCI-AD patients (n = 30), and normal control subjects (n = 80) were comprehensively evaluated with neuropsychological tests covering five cognitive domains. The performance was compared between groups. Tests that discriminated between MCI-SVD and MCI-AD were identified. Multiple cognitive domains were impaired in MCI-SVD group, while memory and executive function were mainly impaired in MCI-AD group. Compared with MCI-SVD, MCI-AD patients performed relatively worse on memory tasks, but better on processing speed measures. The AVLT Long Delay Free Recall, Digit Symbol Test, and Stroop Test Part A (performance time) in combination categorized 91.1% of MCI-SVD patients and 86.7% of MCI-AD patients correctly. Current study suggested a nonspecific neuropsychological profile for MCI-SVD and a more specific cognitive pattern in MCI-AD. MCI-AD patients demonstrated greater memory impairment with relatively preserved mental processing speed compared with MCI-SVD patients. Tests tapping these two domains might be potentially useful for differentiating MCI-SVD and MCI-AD patients. (JINS, 2009, 15, 898–905.)

Multiple epidemiological and brain imaging studies show a strong association between elevations in systolic blood pressure and lesions of cerebral white matter. The association between white-matter lesions and systolic blood pressure persists even if individuals are receiving treatment, suggesting that these individuals may be undertreated. In addition, these studies suggest that lesions of cerebral white matter may serve as markers for atherosclerotic vascular disease. Treatment strategies, therefore, should focus on early and aggressive management of elevated blood pressure, but definitions of elevated blood pressure may need to be revised downward to achieve best results.