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White matter changes and diabetes predict cognitive decline in the elderly: the LADIS study
Verdelho A, Madureira S, Moleiro C, Ferro JM, Santos CO, Erkinjuntti T, Pantoni L, Fazekas F et al.. Neurology, 2010-07-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective We aimed to study if age-related white matter changes (WMC) and vascular risk factors were predictors of cognitive decline in elderly subjects with WMC living independently. Methods The Leukoaraiosis and Disability prospective multinational European study (LADIS) evaluates the impact of WMC on the transition of independent elderly subjects into disability. Independent elderly were enrolled due to the presence of WMC. Subjects were evaluated yearly during 3 years with a comprehensive clinical protocol and a neuropsychological battery. Additionally, dementia, subtypes of dementia, and cognitive decline without dementia were classified according to usual clinical criteria. MRI was performed at entry and at the end of the study. Results A total of 639 subjects were included (74.1 +/- 5 years, 55% women, 9.6 +/- 3.8 years of schooling). At end of follow-up, 90 patients had dementia and 147 had cognitive impairment no dementia. Using Cox regression analysis, WMC severity independently predicted cognitive decline (dementia and not dementia), independently of age, education, and medial temporal atrophy (MTA). Diabetes at baseline was the only vascular risk factor that independently predicted cognitive decline during follow-up, controlling for age, education, WMC severity, and temporal atrophy. Considering subtypes of dementia, Alzheimer disease (AD) was predicted only by MTA, while vascular dementia was predicted by previous stroke, WMC severity, and MTA. Conclusion WMC severity and diabetes are independent predictors of cognitive decline in an initially nondisabled elderly population. Vascular dementia is predicted by previous stroke and WMC, while AD is predicted only by MTA.
Key findings
- Results A total of 639 subjects were included (74.1 +/- 5 years, 55% women, 9.6 +/- 3.8 years of schooling).
Why it matters
In this study of independent elderly people with white matter changes, the severity of those changes and having diabetes at baseline each predicted later cognitive decline, including dementia. However, Alzheimer disease specifically was predicted only by medial temporal atrophy, not by white matter changes or diabetes.
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Study details
- Participants639
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 53/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (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 | 639 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 192 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 10.7 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 10 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Domenico Inzitari: h-index 60 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Helsinki: institution h-index 1,201 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 4 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 20625169) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
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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's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Verdelho, A., Madureira, S., Moleiro, C., Ferro, J. M., Santos, C. O., Erkinjuntti, T., et al. (2010). White matter changes and diabetes predict cognitive decline in the elderly: the LADIS study. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181e7ca05
Vancouver
Verdelho A, Madureira S, Moleiro C, Ferro JM, Santos CO, Erkinjuntti T, et al. White matter changes and diabetes predict cognitive decline in the elderly: the LADIS study. Neurology. 2010. doi:10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181e7ca05. PMID: 20625169.
BibTeX
@article{verdelho2010-20625169,
author = {Verdelho, A. and Madureira, S. and Moleiro, C. and Ferro, J. M. and Santos, C. O. and Erkinjuntti, T. and Pantoni, L. and Fazekas, F. and others},
title = {{White matter changes and diabetes predict cognitive decline in the elderly: the LADIS study}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181e7ca05},
pmid = {20625169},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181e7ca05}
}
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