title: Influence of carotid artery stenting on cognitive function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There have only been a few studies on cognitive changes in patients with carotid occlusive disease, and the results of these show major discrepancies in the extent to which treatment affects neuropsychological function. We sought to clarify these discrepancies by evaluating the effects of carotid artery stenting (CAS) on the cognitive function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one asymptomatic CAS patients were administered a test battery of neuropsychological tests measuring cognitive speed and memory function before and 3 months after the procedure. A control group was also evaluated. To test for thromboembolic lesions, diffusion-weighted imaging was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CAS led to a significant increase in cognitive speed (p<0.001) but did not afford any change in memory function. This was regardless of the degree or side of stenosis or patient age or gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CAS significantly improved functions that involve cognitive speed. Earlier studies did not differentiate between speed and memory tests and thus might have missed these changes. Further studies correlating changes in brain perfusion with increase in cognitive speed are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department for Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Saarland University Clinic, Homburg, Germany. i.grunwald@gmx.net
authors.forename: Iris Quasar
authors.initials: IQ
authors.lastname: Grunwald
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papanagiotou
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Reith
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Backens
authors.forename: Tilman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Supprian
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Politi
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vedder
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zercher
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Muscalla
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haass
authors.forename: Christoph M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Krick
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D017130:Angioplasty; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome