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59/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 59 out of 100. Brain scans and imaging

Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis

Objective To determine whether MRI-based cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) can predict cognitive performance independently of Alzheimer pathologic markers, we studied the relationship between cognition, CVR, and CSF-derived β-amyloid 42 (Aβ 42 ) and tau in a group of elderly individuals with mixed Alzheimer and vascular cognitive impairment and dementia. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 72 participants 69 ± 8 years of age consisting of individuals with normal cognition (n = 28) and cognitive impairment (n = 44) (including 36 with mild cognitive impairment [MCI] and 8 with mild dementia). CVR was measured with hypercapnia-MRI. Whole-brain CVR (percent blood oxygen level-dependent per 1 mm Hg Etco 2 ) was used to estimate vasodilatory capacity. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores, cognitive domains scores, and a global composite cognitive score were obtained. AD biomarkers included CSF assays of Aβ 42 and tau. Results Whole-brain CVR was lower in the impaired (mean ± SE, 0.132 ± 0.006%/mm Hg) compared to the normal (0.151 ± 0.007%/mm Hg) group (β = -0.02%/mm Hg; 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.038 to -0.001). After adjustment for CSF Aβ 42 and tau, higher whole-brain CVR was associated with better performance on the MoCA (β = 29.64, 95% CI 9.94-49.34) and with a global composite cognitive score (β = 4.32, 95% CI 0.05-8.58). When the CVR marker was compared with the Fazekas score based on white matter hyperintensities and vascular risk-score in a single regression model predicting the MoCA score, only CVR revealed a significant effect (β = 28.09, 95% CI 6.14-50.04), while the other 2 measures were not significant. Conclusions CVR was significantly associated with cognitive performance independently of AD pathology. Whole-brain CVR may be a useful biomarker for evaluating cognitive impairment related to vascular disease in older individuals. Classification of evidence This study provides Class II evidence that CVR was significantly associated with cognitive performance independent of AD pathology.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Sur, S., Lin, Z., Li, Y., Yasar, S., Rosenberg, P., Moghekar, A., et al. (2020). Association of cerebrovascular reactivity and Alzheimer pathologic markers with cognitive performance. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000010133

Vancouver

Sur S, Lin Z, Li Y, Yasar S, Rosenberg P, Moghekar A, et al. Association of cerebrovascular reactivity and Alzheimer pathologic markers with cognitive performance. Neurology. 2020. doi:10.1212/wnl.0000000000010133. PMID: 32661101.

BibTeX

@article{sur2020-32661101,
  author  = {Sur, S. and Lin, Z. and Li, Y. and Yasar, S. and Rosenberg, P. and Moghekar, A. and Hou, X. and Kalyani, R. and others},
  title   = {{Association of cerebrovascular reactivity and Alzheimer pathologic markers with cognitive performance}},
  journal = {Neurology},
  year    = {2020},
  doi     = {10.1212/wnl.0000000000010133},
  pmid    = {32661101},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000010133}
}

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Key findings

Results Whole-brain CVR was lower in the impaired (mean ± SE, 0.132 ± 0.006%/mm Hg) compared to the normal (0.151 ± 0.007%/mm Hg) group (β = -0.02%/mm Hg; 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.038 to -0.001).
After adjustment for CSF Aβ 42 and tau, higher whole-brain CVR was associated with better performance on the MoCA (β = 29.64, 95% CI 9.94-49.34) and with a global composite cognitive score (β = 4.32, 95% CI 0.05-8.58).
When the CVR marker was compared with the Fazekas score based on white matter hyperintensities and vascular risk-score in a single regression model predicting the MoCA score, only CVR revealed a significant effect (β = 28.09, 95% CI 6.14-50.04), while the other 2 measures were not significant.
Conclusions CVR was significantly associated with cognitive performance independently of AD pathology.
Classification of evidence This study provides Class II evidence that CVR was significantly associated with cognitive performance independent of AD pathology.

Why it matters

In this cross-sectional study of 72 older people, lower whole-brain cerebrovascular reactivity was linked to worse cognitive performance even after accounting for Alzheimer's biomarkers in spinal fluid. This is an association at a single point in time and does not show that improving blood vessel function would prevent or treat dementia.

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Study details

Study designcross-sectional
Participants28
Effect size0.006%; 0.007%; 0.02%
Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 59/100

Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	9 / 10	Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology)
Journal's citation record	4 / 4	Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	4 / 12	A snapshot of people at one point in time
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	2 / 5	2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	1 / 4	28 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)
Randomized / blinded	0 / 2	No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	4 / 7	Cited 86 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	3 / 5	10.8 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 5.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	2 / 6	Cited by 3 other studies in this library
Still being cited	3 / 4	Cited 51 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	3 / 4	Last-listed author Hanzhang Lu: h-index 75 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	2 / 3	Johns Hopkins University: institution h-index 2,306 (OpenAlex)
Multicenter collaboration	1 / 3	OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32661101)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	59 / 100	—

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