Comorbid amyloid-β pathology affects clinical and imaging features in VCD

Jolien F. Leijenaar*, Colin Groot, Carole H. Sudre, David Bergeron, Anna E. Leeuwis, M. Jorge Cardoso, Ferran Prados Carrasco, Robert Laforce, Frederik Barkhof, Wiesje M. van der Flier, Philip Scheltens, Niels D. Prins, Rik Ossenkoppele

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Introduction: To date, the clinical relevance of comorbid amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology in patients with vascular cognitive disorders (VCD) is largely unknown. Methods: We included 218 VCD patients with available cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42 levels. Patients were divided into Aβ+ mild-VCD (n = 84), Aβ− mild-VCD (n = 68), Aβ+ major-VCD (n = 31), and Aβ− major-VCD (n = 35). We measured depression with the Geriatric Depression Scale, cognition with a neuropsychological test battery and derived white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and gray matter atrophy from MRI. Results: Aβ− patients showed more depressive symptoms than Aβ+. In the major-VCD group, Aβ− patients performed worse on attention (P = .02) and executive functioning (P = .008) than Aβ+. We found no cognitive differences in patients with mild VCD. In the mild-VCD group, Aβ− patients had more WMH than Aβ+ patients, whereas conversely, in the major-VCD group, Aβ+ patients had more WMH. Atrophy patterns did not differ between Aβ+ and Aβ− VCD group. Discussion: Comorbid Aβ pathology affects the manifestation of VCD, but effects differ by severity of VCD.

Original languageEnglish
Number of pages11
JournalAlzheimer's and Dementia
Volume16
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2020

Keywords

  • Amyloid-β
  • Cognition
  • Gray matter atrophy
  • MRI
  • Vascular cognitive disorders
  • Vascular dementia
  • White matter hyperintensities

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