Enlarged Perivascular Spaces Are Negatively Associated With Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scores in Older Adults

Timothy J. Libecap, Valentinos Zachariou, Christopher E. Bauer, Donna M. Wilcock, Gregory A. Jicha, Flavius D. Raslau, Brian T. Gold

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Emerging evidence suggests that enlarged perivascular spaces (ePVS) may be a clinically significant neuroimaging marker of global cognitive function related to cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD). We tested this possibility by assessing the relationship between ePVS and both a standardized measure of global cognitive function, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and an established marker of cSVD, white matter hyperintensity volume (WMH) volume. One hundred and eleven community-dwelling older adults (56–86) underwent neuroimaging and MoCA testing. Quantification of region-specific ePVS burden was performed using a previously validated visual rating method and WMH volumes were computed using the standard ADNI pipeline. Separate linear regression models were run with ePVS as a predictor of MoCA scores and whole brain WMH volume. Results indicated a negative association between MoCA scores and both total ePVS counts (P ≤ 0.001) and centrum semiovale ePVS counts (P ≤ 0.001), after controlling for other relevant cSVD variables. Further, WMH volumes were positively associated with total ePVS (P = 0.010), basal ganglia ePVS (P ≤ 0.001), and centrum semiovale ePVS (P = 0.027). Our results suggest that ePVS burden, particularly in the centrum semiovale, may be a clinically significant neuroimaging marker of global cognitive dysfunction related to cSVD.

Original languageEnglish
Article number888511
JournalFrontiers in Neurology
Volume13
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Libecap, Zachariou, Bauer, Wilcock, Jicha, Raslau and Gold.

Keywords

  • Montréal Cognitive Assessment—MoCA
  • cerebral small vessel disease
  • enlarged perivascular spaces—ePVS
  • neuroimaging biomarkers
  • white matter hyperintensities—WMH

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology

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