Cognitive functioning and microvascular disease

摘要: Cognitive impairment and dementia form a major health issue, affecting considerable proportion of the aging population. Cerebral vascular damage is increasingly recognized as one main causes cognitive decline in dementia. Another cause deterioration older people are neurodegenerative processes, resulting Alzheimer’s disease (AD) type pathologies. Evidence growing for crucial role AD. A current challenge to explore causing impairment, by itself or interaction with Besides cerebral large vessels, microvasculature fundamentally important brain functioning. Microvascular entire range functioning, from subtle decrements normal frank The research this thesis aimed investigate relation between biomarkers microvascular In first part thesis, we investigated measures parts body outside We show that retinal changes, microalbuminuria, low-grade inflammation endothelial dysfunction were related non-demented individuals. Despite consistency findings, all studies associations markers functioning rather weak. Thus, these systemic limited value reduced performance second investigated, patients amnestic mild (aMCI) early Multiple microbleeds associated disruptions microstructure organization network measured diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), independent other small vessel atrophy. used 7 Tesla MRI presence detail image cortical microinfarcts. showed majority aMCI AD exhibit microbleeds. Microinfarct numbers not significantly increased relative controls. They did appear be microbleed other, larger, infarcts. lesions (end-stage) presence, but so much third spatial navigation, function often affected AD, which has high clinical relevance. On three fundamental aspects performed worse than controls, at an intermediate level controls conclusion, cognition. consistent, weak, association present without complaints. prevalent damage. Our findings contribute better understanding vascular-related impairment.