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62/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 62 out of 100. How common it is

Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies

Importance Cerebral microbleeds are hypothesized downstream markers of brain damage caused by vascular and amyloid pathologic mechanisms. To date, whether their presence is associated with cognitive deterioration in the general population remains unclear. Objective To determine whether microbleeds, and more specifically microbleed count and location, are associated with an increased risk for cognitive impairment and dementia in the general population. Design, setting, and participants The Rotterdam Study, a prospective population-based study set in the general community, assessed the presence, number, and location of microbleeds at baseline (August 2005 to December 2011) on magnetic resonance imaging studies of the brain in 4841 participants 45 years or older. Participants underwent neuropsychological testing at 2 points a mean (SD) of 5.9 (0.6) years apart and were followed up for incident dementia throughout the study period until January 1, 2013. The association of microbleeds with cognitive decline and dementia was studied using multiple linear regression, linear mixed-effects modeling, and Cox proportional hazards. Exposures Cerebral microbleed presence, location, and number. Main outcomes and measures Cognitive decline measured by a decrease in neuropsychological test battery scores (Mini-Mental State Examination, Letter Digit Substitution Task, Word Fluency Test, Stroop test, 15-word Verbal Learning Test, and Purdue Pegboard Test) and compound scores (eg, G factor, executive function, information processing speed, memory, motor speed) and dementia. Results In total, 3257 participants (1758 women [54.7%]; mean [SD] age, 59.6 [7.8] years) underwent baseline and follow-up cognitive testing. Microbleed prevalence was 15.3% (median [interquartile range] count, 1 [1-88]). The presence of more than 4 microbleeds was associated with cognitive decline. Lobar (with or without cerebellar) microbleeds were associated with a decline in executive functions (mean difference in z score, -0.31; 95% CI, -0.51 to -0.11; P = .003), information processing (mean difference in z score, -0.44; 95% CI, -0.65 to -0.22; P Conclusions and relevance In the general population, a high microbleed count was associated with an increased risk for cognitive deterioration and dementia. Microbleeds thus mark the presence of diffuse vascular and neurodegenerative brain damage.

Key findings

To date, whether their presence is associated with cognitive deterioration in the general population remains unclear.
Objective To determine whether microbleeds, and more specifically microbleed count and location, are associated with an increased risk for cognitive impairment and dementia in the general population.
Results In total, 3257 participants (1758 women [54.7%]; mean [SD] age, 59.6 [7.8] years) underwent baseline and follow-up cognitive testing.
The presence of more than 4 microbleeds was associated with cognitive decline.
Lobar (with or without cerebellar) microbleeds were associated with a decline in executive functions (mean difference in z score, -0.31; 95% CI, -0.51 to -0.11; P = .003), information processing (mean difference in z score, -0.44; 95% CI, -0.65 to -0.22; P < .001), and memory function (mean difference in z score, -0.34; 95% CI, -0.64 to -0.03; P = .03), whereas microbleeds in other brain regions were associated with a decline in information processing and motor speed (mean difference in z score, -0.61; 95% CI, -1.05 to -0.17; P = .007).

Why it matters

In this population study, having more than four cerebral microbleeds was examined for links to cognitive decline and dementia. It looks at a possible marker of brain damage rather than a treatment or cure.

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Study details

Participants4,841
Effect size54.7%; 15.3%
Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 62/100

Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	9 / 10	Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (JAMA neurology)
Journal's citation record	2 / 4	JAMA Neurology: journal h-index 235 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	0 / 12	No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Strength of evidence	1 / 5	Rated “low” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	1 / 5	2016 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	3 / 4	4,841 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	6 / 7	Cited 403 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	4 / 5	33.6 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016
Impact for its field and year	5 / 6	Cited 24.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	3 / 6	Cited by 17 other studies in this library
Still being cited	3 / 4	Cited 105 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	3 / 4	Last-listed author Meike Willemijn Vernooij: h-index 99 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	3 / 3	Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	2 / 3	OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 27271785)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	62 / 100	—

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Read the original

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. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.

APA 7th

Akoudad, S., Wolters, F. J., Viswanathan, A., de Bruijn, R. F., van der Lugt, A., Hofman, A., et al. (2016). Association of Cerebral Microbleeds With Cognitive Decline and Dementia. JAMA neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2016.1017

Vancouver

Akoudad S, Wolters FJ, Viswanathan A, de Bruijn RF, van der Lugt A, Hofman A, et al. Association of Cerebral Microbleeds With Cognitive Decline and Dementia. JAMA neurology. 2016. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2016.1017. PMID: 27271785.

BibTeX

@article{akoudad2016-27271785,
  author  = {Akoudad, S. and Wolters, F. J. and Viswanathan, A. and de Bruijn, R. F. and van der Lugt, A. and Hofman, A. and Koudstaal, P. J. and Ikram, M. A. and others},
  title   = {{Association of Cerebral Microbleeds With Cognitive Decline and Dementia}},
  journal = {JAMA neurology},
  year    = {2016},
  doi     = {10.1001/jamaneurol.2016.1017},
  pmid    = {27271785},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2016.1017}
}

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