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Association Between Gas‐Free Cerebrovascular Reactivity ( CVR ) and Cognitive Function in Older Adults With a High Risk for Vascular Dementia
Fariba Badrzadeh, Elham Karimigharighi, Huajun Liang, Andrew Chan, Linda Dongxia Chang, Peiying Liu. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 2025-12-23
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Whole-brain bm-CVR values were significantly associated with the diagnosis group of normal, MCI, and early dementia (β = -3.00%/mm Hg, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-5.42, -0.58]), and were lower in the impaired participants relative to participants with normal cognition (β = -2.18, CI [-3.91, -0.45]). Bm-CVR was positively associated with global cognition measured by both MoCA (β = 14.73, CI [1.74, 27.73]) and composite cognitive score (β = 2.22, CI [0.77, 3.66]). For domain-specific cognitive scores, bm-CVR was significantly associated with processing speed (β = 3.19, CI [1.36, 5.02]) and language (β = 2.81, CI [0.70, 4.94]), but not with executive function (p = 0.43) or episodic memory (p = 0.79). DATA Bm-CVR is a sensitive biomarker for VCID. This gas-free CVR method may be a more practical approach than hypercapnia gas-inhalation CVR for characterizing vascular pathology. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 2. TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.
Key findings
- Whole-brain bm-CVR values were significantly associated with the diagnosis group of normal, MCI, and early dementia (β = -3.00%/mm Hg, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-5.42, -0.58]), and were lower in the impaired participants relative to participants with normal cognition (β = -2.18, CI [-3.91, -0.45]).
- Bm-CVR was positively associated with global cognition measured by both MoCA (β = 14.73, CI [1.74, 27.73]) and composite cognitive score (β = 2.22, CI [0.77, 3.66]).
- For domain-specific cognitive scores, bm-CVR was significantly associated with processing speed (β = 3.19, CI [1.36, 5.02]) and language (β = 2.81, CI [0.70, 4.94]), but not with executive function (p = 0.43) or episodic memory (p = 0.79).
- DATA Bm-CVR is a sensitive biomarker for VCID.
- This gas-free CVR method may be a more practical approach than hypercapnia gas-inhalation CVR for characterizing vascular pathology.
Why it matters
In older adults at high risk for vascular dementia, a gas-free measure of cerebrovascular reactivity was lower in those with cognitive impairment and was linked to worse global cognition, processing speed and language. This identifies a possible marker of vascular brain injury but does not test any treatment or prevention.
Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants36
- Effect size3.00%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging: journal h-index 217 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 36 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Peiying Liu: h-index 43 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Maryland, Baltimore: institution h-index 970 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41431429) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1002/jmri.70212
- PubMed: 41431429
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Badrzadeh, F., Karimigharighi, E., Liang, H., Chan, A., Chang, L. D., & Liu, P. (2025). Association Between Gas‐Free Cerebrovascular Reactivity ( CVR ) and Cognitive Function in Older Adults With a High Risk for Vascular Dementia. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmri.70212
Vancouver
Badrzadeh F, Karimigharighi E, Liang H, Chan A, Chang LD, Liu P. Association Between Gas‐Free Cerebrovascular Reactivity ( CVR ) and Cognitive Function in Older Adults With a High Risk for Vascular Dementia. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2025. doi:10.1002/jmri.70212. PMID: 41431429.
BibTeX
@article{badrzadeh2025-41431429,
author = {Badrzadeh, Fariba and Karimigharighi, Elham and Liang, Huajun and Chan, Andrew and Chang, Linda Dongxia and Liu, Peiying},
title = {{Association Between Gas‐Free Cerebrovascular Reactivity ( CVR ) and Cognitive Function in Older Adults With a High Risk for Vascular Dementia}},
journal = {Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/jmri.70212},
pmid = {41431429},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/jmri.70212}
}
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