Home › Research › Risk factors
White matter hyperintensity spatial patterns: Risk factors and clinical correlates
Frauke Beyer, Ami Tsuchida, Aïcha Soumaré, Hema Sekhar Reddy Rajula, Aniket Mishra, Fabrice Crivello, Cécile Proust‐Lima, Markus W. Loeffler et al.. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2025-04-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
WMHs in the frontoparietal and anterior periventricular region were associated with blood pressure traits, WMH genetic risk score (GRS), baseline and decline in general cognitive performance, incident all-cause dementia, and ischemic stroke. Juxtacortical-deep occipital WMHs were not associated with vascular risk factors and WMH GRS, but with incident all-cause dementia and intracerebral hemorrhage. Accounting for WMH spatial distribution is key to deciphering mechanisms underlying cSVD subtypes, an essential step towards personalized therapeutic approaches. HIGHLIGHTS: We studied spatial patterns of WMHs in 2878 participants. Blood pressure was associated with frontoparietal and anterior PV WMHs. Anterior PV WMHs predicted dementia and stroke risk. Juxtacortical-deep occipital WMH burden was not associated with blood pressure or WMH genetic risk. Juxtacortical-deep occipital WMH burden predicted dementia and intracerebral hemorrhage.
Key findings
- WMHs in the frontoparietal and anterior periventricular region were associated with blood pressure traits, WMH genetic risk score (GRS), baseline and decline in general cognitive performance, incident all-cause dementia, and ischemic stroke.
- Juxtacortical-deep occipital WMHs were not associated with vascular risk factors and WMH GRS, but with incident all-cause dementia and intracerebral hemorrhage.
- Accounting for WMH spatial distribution is key to deciphering mechanisms underlying cSVD subtypes, an essential step towards personalized therapeutic approaches.
- HIGHLIGHTS: We studied spatial patterns of WMHs in 2878 participants.
- Blood pressure was associated with frontoparietal and anterior PV WMHs.
Why it matters
This longitudinal study found that white matter hyperintensities in different brain regions were linked to different risk factors and outcomes, including dementia and stroke. The authors say that accounting for where these hyperintensities are located is key to understanding the mechanisms behind small vessel disease and moving toward personalized treatments.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Risk factors, ranked →
Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants2,878
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 61/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over 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 (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 2,878 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 | 2 / 7 | Cited 11 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 11 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Stéphanie Debette: h-index 96 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique: institution h-index 2,511 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 17 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40189793) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 61 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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
Beyer, F., Tsuchida, A., Soumaré, A., Rajula, H. S. R., Mishra, A., Crivello, F., et al. (2025). White matter hyperintensity spatial patterns: Risk factors and clinical correlates. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70053
Vancouver
Beyer F, Tsuchida A, Soumaré A, Rajula HSR, Mishra A, Crivello F, et al. White matter hyperintensity spatial patterns: Risk factors and clinical correlates. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2025. doi:10.1002/alz.70053. PMID: 40189793.
BibTeX
@article{beyer2025-40189793,
author = {Beyer, Frauke and Tsuchida, Ami and Soumaré, Aïcha and Rajula, Hema Sekhar Reddy and Mishra, Aniket and Crivello, Fabrice and Proust‐Lima, Cécile and Loeffler, Markus W. and others},
title = {{White matter hyperintensity spatial patterns: Risk factors and clinical correlates}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/alz.70053},
pmid = {40189793},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70053}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 19.
Later studies that cite this one
2 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.