Home › Research › Vascular contributions
Diffusion tensor MRI correlates with executive dysfunction in patients with ischaemic leukoaraiosis
O'Sullivan M, Morris RG, Huckstep B, Jones DK, Williams SC, Markus HS.. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, 2004-03-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background Cerebral small vessel disease is a common cause of vascular dementia. Both discrete lacunar infarcts and more diffuse ischaemic changes, seen as confluent high signal (leukoaraiosis) on T2 weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), occur. However, there is a weak correlation between T2 lesion load and cognitive impairment. Diffusion tensor MRI (DTI) is a new technique that may provide a better index of white matter damage. Objectives To determine whether DTI measures are correlated more strongly with cognitive performance than lesion load on T2 weighted images, and whether these correlations are independent of conventional MRI parameters. Methods 36 patients with ischaemic leukoaraiosis (leukoaraiosis plus a previous lacunar stroke) and 19 healthy volunteers underwent DTI, conventional MRI, and neuropsychological assessment. Results On DTI, diffusivity was increased both within lesions and in normal appearing white matter. Mean diffusivity of normal appearing white matter correlated with full scale IQ (r = -0.46, p = 0.009) and tests of executive function. These correlations remained significant after controlling for age, sex, brain volume, and T1/T2 lesion volumes. No significant correlation was identified between T2 lesion load and IQ or neuropsychological scores. Of conventional measures, brain volume correlated best with cognitive function. Conclusions Diffusion tensor measurements correlate better with cognition than conventional MRI measures. They may be useful in monitoring disease progression and as a surrogate marker for treatment trials. The findings support the role of white matter damage and disruption of white matter connections in the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment in cerebral small vessel disease.
Key findings
- Results On DTI, diffusivity was increased both within lesions and in normal appearing white matter.
- These correlations remained significant after controlling for age, sex, brain volume, and T1/T2 lesion volumes.
- No significant correlation was identified between T2 lesion load and IQ or neuropsychological scores.
Study details
- Participants36
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, 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 and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 25 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 43 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| 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 | 2004 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 36 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 14966162) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 25 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 25 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 43 out of 100. |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Free copy unknown: no free-copy check has an answer for this record yet. That does not mean it is paywalled.
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
O'Sullivan, M., Morris, R. G., Huckstep, B., Jones, D. K., Williams, S. C., & Markus, H. S. (2004). Diffusion tensor MRI correlates with executive dysfunction in patients with ischaemic leukoaraiosis. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2003.014910
Vancouver
O'Sullivan M, Morris RG, Huckstep B, Jones DK, Williams SC, Markus HS. Diffusion tensor MRI correlates with executive dysfunction in patients with ischaemic leukoaraiosis. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. 2004. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2003.014910. PMID: 14966162.
BibTeX
@article{osullivan2004-14966162,
author = {O'Sullivan, M. and Morris, R. G. and Huckstep, B. and Jones, D. K. and Williams, S. C. and Markus, H. S.},
title = {{Diffusion tensor MRI correlates with executive dysfunction in patients with ischaemic leukoaraiosis}},
journal = {Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.1136/jnnp.2003.014910},
pmid = {14966162},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2003.014910}
}