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Cerebrovascular atherosclerosis correlates with Alzheimer pathology in neurodegenerative dementias
Yarchoan M, Xie SX, Kling MA, Toledo JB, Wolk DA, Lee EB, Van Deerlin V, Lee VM et al.. Brain : a journal of neurology, 2012-11-30
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
A growing body of evidence demonstrates an association between vascular risk factors and Alzheimer's disease. This study investigated the frequency and severity of atherosclerotic plaques in the circle of Willis in Alzheimer's disease and multiple other neurodegenerative diseases. Semi-quantitative data from gross and microscopic neuropathological examinations in 1000 cases were analysed, including 410 with a primary diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, 230 with synucleinopathies, 157 with TDP-43 proteinopathies, 144 with tauopathies and 59 with normal ageing.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Yarchoan, M., Xie, S. X., Kling, M. A., Toledo, J. B., Wolk, D. A., Lee, E. B., et al. (2012). Cerebrovascular atherosclerosis correlates with Alzheimer pathology in neurodegenerative dementias. Brain : a journal of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/aws271
Vancouver
Yarchoan M, Xie SX, Kling MA, Toledo JB, Wolk DA, Lee EB, et al. Cerebrovascular atherosclerosis correlates with Alzheimer pathology in neurodegenerative dementias. Brain : a journal of neurology. 2012. doi:10.1093/brain/aws271. PMID: 23204143.
BibTeX
@article{yarchoan2012-23204143,
author = {Yarchoan, M. and Xie, S. X. and Kling, M. A. and Toledo, J. B. and Wolk, D. A. and Lee, E. B. and Van Deerlin, V. and Lee, V. M. and others},
title = {{Cerebrovascular atherosclerosis correlates with Alzheimer pathology in neurodegenerative dementias}},
journal = {Brain : a journal of neurology},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.1093/brain/aws271},
pmid = {23204143},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/aws271}
}
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Key findings
- This study investigated the frequency and severity of atherosclerotic plaques in the circle of Willis in Alzheimer's disease and multiple other neurodegenerative diseases.
- Semi-quantitative data from gross and microscopic neuropathological examinations in 1000 cases were analysed, including 410 with a primary diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, 230 with synucleinopathies, 157 with TDP-43 proteinopathies, 144 with tauopathies and 59 with normal ageing.
- More than 77% of subjects with Alzheimer's disease had grossly apparent circle of Willis atherosclerosis, a percentage that was significantly higher than normal (47%), or other neurodegenerative diseases (43-67%).
- Age- and sex-adjusted atherosclerosis ratings were highly correlated with neuritic plaque, paired helical filaments tau neurofibrillary tangle and cerebral amyloid angiopathy ratings in the whole sample and within individual groups.
Why it matters
In 1,000 autopsy cases, this study found that cerebrovascular atherosclerosis in the circle of Willis correlates with Alzheimer pathology, with more than 77% of Alzheimer's disease subjects showing atherosclerotic plaques. It describes an association between vascular disease and Alzheimer pathology and offers no treatment, cure or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 51/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Brain : a journal of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Brain: journal h-index 503 (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 | 2012 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 264 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.5 citations a year over 16 year(s) since 2012 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 13.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 22 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 41 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Steven Edward Arnold: h-index 125 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Pennsylvania: institution h-index 1,859 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 23204143) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 51 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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