White matter volumes and periventricular white matter hyperintensities in aging and dementia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between MRI periventricular white matter hyperintensities, cerebral white matter volumes, neuropathologic findings, and cognitive status in aged individuals.


BACKGROUND
The significance of periventricular white matter hyperintensities seen on MR images in aged individuals remains controversial. The Nun Study is a longitudinal cohort aging study in which all 678 initially enrolled participants agreed to autopsy neuropathologic examination.


METHODS
We used MRI to measure white matter volumes of the cerebral hemispheres in 52 formaldehyde-fixed brains for correlation with white matter and neocortical pathology, postmortem MRI observations, and cognitive measures.


RESULTS
Reduced white matter volume is associated with dementia, but periventricular white matter hyperintensities were not related to white matter volume, stroke, or dementia.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results do not support the hypothesis that periventricular hyperintensities seen on MR images have deleterious consequences in these aged individuals.
Smith
C D
CD
Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington 40536, USA. csmith@mri.uky.edu
Snowdon
D A
DA
Wang
H
H
Markesbery
W R
WR
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales