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Total homocysteine is associated with white matter hyperintensity volume: the Northern Manhattan Study
Wright CB, Paik MC, Brown TR, Stabler SP, Allen RH, Sacco RL, DeCarli C.. Stroke, 2005-05-05
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background Total homocysteine (tHcy) has been implicated as a risk factor for stroke and dementia, but the mechanism is unclear. White matter hyperintensities may be a risk factor for both, but studies of the relationship between tHcy and quantitative measures of white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV) are lacking, especially in minority populations. Methods A community-based sample of 259 subjects with baseline tHcy levels underwent pixel-based quantitative measurement of WMHV. We examined the relationship between tHcy and WMHV adjusting for age, sociodemographics, vascular risk factors, and B12 deficiency. Results Higher levels of tHcy were associated with WMHV adjusting for sociodemographics and vascular risk factors. Conclusions These cross-sectional data provide evidence that tHcy is a risk factor for white matter damage.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Wright, C. B., Paik, M. C., Brown, T. R., Stabler, S. P., Allen, R. H., Sacco, R. L., et al. (2005). Total homocysteine is associated with white matter hyperintensity volume: the Northern Manhattan Study. Stroke. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.str.0000165923.02318.22
Vancouver
Wright CB, Paik MC, Brown TR, Stabler SP, Allen RH, Sacco RL, et al. Total homocysteine is associated with white matter hyperintensity volume: the Northern Manhattan Study. Stroke. 2005. doi:10.1161/01.str.0000165923.02318.22. PMID: 15879345.
BibTeX
@article{wright2005-15879345,
author = {Wright, C. B. and Paik, M. C. and Brown, T. R. and Stabler, S. P. and Allen, R. H. and Sacco, R. L. and DeCarli, C.},
title = {{Total homocysteine is associated with white matter hyperintensity volume: the Northern Manhattan Study}},
journal = {Stroke},
year = {2005},
doi = {10.1161/01.str.0000165923.02318.22},
pmid = {15879345},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1161/01.str.0000165923.02318.22}
}
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.
Key findings
- Results Higher levels of tHcy were associated with WMHV adjusting for sociodemographics and vascular risk factors.
Why it matters
In 259 people from a community study in northern Manhattan, those with higher blood homocysteine had more white matter damage on brain scans (a scan finding the authors note "may be a risk factor" for both stroke and dementia). The link held after accounting for sociodemographics and vascular risk factors. The authors call homocysteine "a risk factor for white matter damage", but this was a single snapshot, so it cannot show cause and effect, and it did not measure dementia or test any treatment.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants259
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Stroke) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Stroke: journal h-index 455 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| 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 | 2005 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 259 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 190 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.3 citations a year over 23 year(s) since 2005 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 9 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Charles S DeCarli: h-index 150 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Columbia University: institution h-index 1,824 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 15879345) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
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