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Longitudinal changes in white matter disease and cognition in the first year of the Alzheimer disease neuroimaging initiative
Carmichael O, Schwarz C, Drucker D, Fletcher E, Harvey D, Beckett L, Jack CR, Weiner M et al.. Archives of neurology, 2010-11-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objective To evaluate relationships between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based measures of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), measured at baseline and longitudinally, and 1-year cognitive decline using a large convenience sample in a clinical trial design with a relatively mild profile of cardiovascular risk factors. Design Convenience sample in a clinical trial design. Subjects A total of 804 participants in the Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative who received MRI scans, cognitive testing, and clinical evaluations at baseline, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up visits. For each scan, WMHs were detected automatically on coregistered sets of T1, proton density, and T2 MRI images using a validated method. Mixed-effects regression models evaluated relationships between risk factors for WMHs, WMH volume, and change in outcome measures including Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog), and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale sum of boxes scores. Covariates in these models included race, sex, years of education, age, apolipoprotein E genotype, baseline clinical diagnosis (cognitively normal, mild cognitive impairment, or Alzheimer disease), cardiovascular risk score, and MRI-based hippocampal and brain volumes. Results Higher baseline WMH volume was associated with greater subsequent 1-year increase in ADAS-Cog and decrease in MMSE scores. Greater WMH volume at follow-up was associated with greater ADAS-Cog and lower MMSE scores at follow-up. Higher baseline age and cardiovascular risk score and more impaired baseline clinical diagnosis were associated with higher baseline WMH volume. Conclusions White matter hyperintensity volume predicts 1-year cognitive decline in a relatively healthy convenience sample that was similar to clinical trial samples, and therefore should be considered as a covariate of interest at baseline and longitudinally in future AD treatment trials.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Carmichael, O., Schwarz, C., Drucker, D., Fletcher, E., Harvey, D., Beckett, L., et al. (2010). Longitudinal changes in white matter disease and cognition in the first year of the Alzheimer disease neuroimaging initiative. Archives of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneurol.2010.284
Vancouver
Carmichael O, Schwarz C, Drucker D, Fletcher E, Harvey D, Beckett L, et al. Longitudinal changes in white matter disease and cognition in the first year of the Alzheimer disease neuroimaging initiative. Archives of neurology. 2010. doi:10.1001/archneurol.2010.284. PMID: 21060014.
BibTeX
@article{carmichael2010-21060014,
author = {Carmichael, O. and Schwarz, C. and Drucker, D. and Fletcher, E. and Harvey, D. and Beckett, L. and Jack, C. R. and Weiner, M. and others},
title = {{Longitudinal changes in white matter disease and cognition in the first year of the Alzheimer disease neuroimaging initiative}},
journal = {Archives of neurology},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1001/archneurol.2010.284},
pmid = {21060014},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/archneurol.2010.284}
}
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Key findings
- Results Higher baseline WMH volume was associated with greater subsequent 1-year increase in ADAS-Cog and decrease in MMSE scores.
- Greater WMH volume at follow-up was associated with greater ADAS-Cog and lower MMSE scores at follow-up.
- Higher baseline age and cardiovascular risk score and more impaired baseline clinical diagnosis were associated with higher baseline WMH volume.
Why it matters
In 804 participants followed for one year, higher baseline white matter hyperintensity volume was associated with greater subsequent cognitive decline. This is an observational study and does not show that treating white matter disease prevents or cures Alzheimer's.
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Study details
- Participants804
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| 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 | 2010 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 804 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 247 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 13.7 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 12.0× 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 23 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Owen Thomas Carmichael: h-index 81 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of California, Davis: institution h-index 1,257 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21060014) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1001/archneurol.2010.284
- PubMed: 21060014
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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