Abstract
Introduction: Motoric cognitive risk (MCR) syndrome is a recently described pre-dementia syndrome characterized by slow gait and cognitive complaints that has been implicated as a predictor of cognitive decline and dementia in older adults. Previous work suggests that cerebrovascular disease is associated with MCR. White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are postulated to be a product of cerebrovascular disease, and have been associated with impaired mobility and impaired cognition. This study aimed to determine if MCR is associated with regional WMH.
Methods: Two cross-cultural cohorts of non-demented older adults were examined: 174 from a French memory clinic (62.1% male, mean age 70.7 ± 4.3 years) and 184 from an Indian community-dwelling cohort (55.4% male, mean age 66.2 ± 5.2 years). Participants were evaluated for slow gait, cognitive complaints, and regional WMH via MRI (fluid attenuated inversion recovery) FLAIR sequence.
Results: Overall, 20.7% of participants met criteria for MCR, and 72.9% of participants had WMH on FLAIR. WMH in the frontal, parieto-occipital, temporal, basal ganglia, cerebellum, or brainstem were not associated with MCR in either of the two cohorts.
Conclusion: WMH was not significantly associated with MCR in this studied sample of participants, suggesting that other cerebrovascular pathophysiological mechanisms, or combination of mechanisms, might underlie MCR.
Published on: November 03, 2016
doi: 10.17756/jnpn.2016-009
Citation: Mergeche JL, Verghese J, Allali G, Wang C, Beauchet O, et al. 2016. White Matter Hyperintensities in Older Adults and Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome.. J Neuroimaging Psychiatry Neurol 1(2): 73-78.
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