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Cerebral Blood Flow in Dementia
Vladimir Hachinski, LINNETTE D. ILIFF, E. Zilhka, G. H. du Boulay, Victor L. McAllister, John Albert Marshall, Ralph W. Ross Russell, L. Symon. Archives of Neurology, 1975-09-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Twenty-four patients of comparable age, blood pressure, and degree of dementia were classified by an "Ischemic Score" based on clinical features into "multi-infarct" and "primary degenerative" dementia. Regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured by the intracarotid xenon 133 method. Both groups showed a decreased proportion of rapidly clearing brain tissue (largely gray matter). Cerebral blood flow per 100 gm brain per minute was normal in the primary degenerative group but low in the multi-infarct group. This suggests the blood flow is adequate for metabolic needs of the brain in patients with primary degenerative dementia but inadequate for those with multi-infarct dementia. There was no correlation between degree of dementia and CBF in the primary degenerative group but an inverse relationship existed in the multi-infarct group. Reactivity of blood vessels to reduction of arterial carbon dioxide pressure was normal in both groups.
Key findings
- Both groups showed a decreased proportion of rapidly clearing brain tissue (largely gray matter).
- Cerebral blood flow per 100 gm brain per minute was normal in the primary degenerative group but low in the multi-infarct group.
- This suggests the blood flow is adequate for metabolic needs of the brain in patients with primary degenerative dementia but inadequate for those with multi-infarct dementia.
- There was no correlation between degree of dementia and CBF in the primary degenerative group but an inverse relationship existed in the multi-infarct group.
- Reactivity of blood vessels to reduction of arterial carbon dioxide pressure was normal in both groups.
Why it matters
This study compared cerebral blood flow in patients with multi-infarct dementia and primary degenerative dementia, finding that blood flow was normal in the primary degenerative group but low in the multi-infarct group. It does not test a treatment or cure, but describes differences in blood flow between these types of dementia.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 53/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on institution's track record, so that was left out: it earned 51 of the 97 points we could judge it on, which is 53 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Archives of Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Archives of Neurology: journal h-index 353 (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 | 1975 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 7 / 7 | Cited 3,187 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 60.1 citations a year over 53 year(s) since 1975 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 5 / 6 | Cited by 110 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 86 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author L. Symon: h-index 73 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 0 institution(s) in 0 countries — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 1164215) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 51 / 97 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 51 of the 97 points we could judge it on is 53 out of 100. |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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 8 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
Hachinski, V., ILIFF, L. D., Zilhka, E., du Boulay, G. H., McAllister, V. L., Marshall, J. A., et al. (1975). Cerebral Blood Flow in Dementia. Archives of Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1975.00490510088009
Vancouver
Hachinski V, ILIFF LD, Zilhka E, du Boulay GH, McAllister VL, Marshall JA, et al. Cerebral Blood Flow in Dementia. Archives of Neurology. 1975. doi:10.1001/archneur.1975.00490510088009. PMID: 1164215.
BibTeX
@article{hachinski1975-1164215,
author = {Hachinski, Vladimir and ILIFF, LINNETTE D. and Zilhka, E. and du Boulay, G. H. and McAllister, Victor L. and Marshall, John Albert and Russell, Ralph W. Ross and Symon, L.},
title = {{Cerebral Blood Flow in Dementia}},
journal = {Archives of Neurology},
year = {1975},
doi = {10.1001/archneur.1975.00490510088009},
pmid = {1164215},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1975.00490510088009}
}
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