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Association of white matter hyperintensities with cognitive decline and neurodegeneration
Tao-Ran Li, Bai-Le Li, Xin-Ran Xu, Jin Zhong, Tai-Shan Wang, Feng-Qi Liu, Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 2024-09-12
Topic: Brain imaging, connectivity and assessment
Higher WMH volume was associated with older age, lower CSF amyloid-β levels, hypertension, and smoking history (all p ≤ 0.001), as well as cognitive status (MCI, p < 0.001; dementia, p = 0.008), but not with CSF tau levels. These results were further verified in any clinical stage, except hypertension and smoking history in the dementia stage. Although WMH could not predict dementia conversion, its increased levels at baseline were associated with a worse cognitive performance and a more rapid memory decline. Longitudinal analyses showed that baseline dementia and positive amyloid-β status were associated with a greater accrual of WMH volume, and a higher ΔWMH was also correlated with a faster cognitive decline. In contrast, except entorhinal cortex thickness, the WMH volume was not found to be associated with any other neurodegenerative markers. To a lesser extent, WMH mediates the relationship between amyloid-β and cognition. WMH are non-specific lesions that are associated with amyloid-β deposition, cognitive status, and a variety of vascular risk factors. Despite evidence indicating only a weak relationship with neurodegeneration, early intervention to reduce WMH lesions remains a high priority for preserving cognitive function in the elderly.
Key findings
- Higher WMH volume was associated with older age, lower CSF amyloid-β levels, hypertension, and smoking history (all p ≤ 0.001), as well as cognitive status (MCI, p < 0.001; dementia, p = 0.008), but not with CSF tau levels.
- These results were further verified in any clinical stage, except hypertension and smoking history in the dementia stage.
- Although WMH could not predict dementia conversion, its increased levels at baseline were associated with a worse cognitive performance and a more rapid memory decline.
- Longitudinal analyses showed that baseline dementia and positive amyloid-β status were associated with a greater accrual of WMH volume, and a higher ΔWMH was also correlated with a faster cognitive decline.
- In contrast, except entorhinal cortex thickness, the WMH volume was not found to be associated with any other neurodegenerative markers.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants1,803
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 70/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record, multi-centre collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 39 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 70 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Frontiers in aging neuroscience) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same 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 | 2024 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,803 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| 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 | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39328245) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 39 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 39 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 70 out of 100. |
| Total | 70 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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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 names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Li, T.-R., Li, B.-L., Xu, X.-R., Zhong, J., Wang, T.-S., Liu, F.-Q., et al. (2024). Association of white matter hyperintensities with cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. Frontiers in aging neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2024.1412735
Vancouver
Li T.-R, Li B.-L, Xu X.-R, Zhong J, Wang T.-S, Liu F.-Q, et al. Association of white matter hyperintensities with cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. Frontiers in aging neuroscience. 2024. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2024.1412735. PMID: 39328245.
BibTeX
@article{li2024-39328245,
author = {Li, Tao-Ran and Li, Bai-Le and Xu, Xin-Ran and Zhong, Jin and Wang, Tai-Shan and Liu, Feng-Qi and {Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative}},
title = {{Association of white matter hyperintensities with cognitive decline and neurodegeneration}},
journal = {Frontiers in aging neuroscience},
year = {2024},
doi = {10.3389/fnagi.2024.1412735},
pmid = {39328245},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2024.1412735}
}
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