Vascular Cellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and Memory Impairment in African-Americans after Small Vessel-Type Stroke

Nada El Husseini, Cheryl Bushnell, Candice M. Brown, Deborah Attix, Natalia S. Rost, Gregory P. Samsa, Carol A. Colton, Larry B. Goldstein

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: African-Americans (AA) are 3 times more likely to have small-vessel-type ischemic strokes (SVS) than Whites. Small vessel strokes are associated with cognitive impairment, a relationship incompletely explained by white matter hyperintensity (WMH) burden. We examined whether inflammatory/endothelial dysfunction biomarkers are associated with cognition after SVS in AAs. Methods: Biomarkers were obtained in 24 subjects (median age 56.5 years, 54% women, median 12 years education). Cognition was assessed more than 6 weeks poststroke using the memory composite score (MCS), which was generated using recall from the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-II and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised. A semi-automated, volumetric protocol was used to quantify WMH volume (WMHv) on clinical MRI scans. Potential biomarkers including vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, interferon gamma, and thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) were log-transformed and correlated with MCS with adjustment for potential confounders. Results: Among serum biomarkers, only VCAM-1-correlated with poorer memory based on the MCS (r = −.659; P = .0006). VCAM-1 (r = .554; P = .005) and age (r = .479; P = .018) correlated with WMHv; VCAM-1 was independently associated with MCS after adjustment for WMHv, age, and education (P = .023). Conclusions: The findings of this exploratory analysis suggest that endothelial dysfunction and inflammation as reflected by VCAM-1 levels may play a role in poststroke cognitive impairment. Additional studies are needed to validate this observation and to evaluate this relationship in non-AAs and with other stroke types and compare this finding to cognitive impairment in nonstroke populations.

Original languageEnglish
Article number104646
JournalJournal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Volume29
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Funding: This study was funded by the American Heart Association/Bugher Foundation (grant number 00775001).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Inc.

Keywords

  • African American
  • VCAM-1
  • cognitive impairment
  • stroke
  • white matter disease

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Surgery
  • Rehabilitation
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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