title: Blood-brain barrier permeability abnormalities in vascular cognitive impairment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Disruption of the blood-brain barrier has been proposed to be important in vascular cognitive impairment. Increased cerebrospinal fluid albumin and contrast-enhanced MRI provide supporting evidence, but quantification of the blood-brain barrier permeability in patients with vascular cognitive impairment is lacking. Therefore, we acquired dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI to quantify blood-brain barrier permeability in vascular cognitive impairment. Method- We studied 60 patients with suspected vascular cognitive impairment. They had neurological and neuropsychological testing, permeability measurements with dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, and lumbar puncture to measure albumin index. Patients were separated clinically into subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD), multiple and lacunar infarcts, and leukoaraiosis. Twenty volunteers were controls for the dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI studies, and control cerebrospinal fluid was obtained from 20 individuals undergoing spinal anesthesia for nonneurological problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-six patients were classified as SIVD, 8 as multiple and lacunar infarcts, and 9 as leukoaraiosis. The albumin index was significantly increased in the SIVD group compared with 20 control subjects. Permeabilities for the patients with vascular cognitive impairment measured by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI were significantly increased over control subjects (P<0.05). Patient age did not correlate with either the blood-brain barrier permeability or albumin index. Highest albumin index values were seen in the SIVD group (P<0.05) and were significantly increased over multiple and lacunar infarcts. K(i) values were elevated over control subjects in SIVD but were similar to multiple and lacunar infarcts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was abnormal permeability in white matter in patients with SIVD as shown by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and albumin index. Future studies will be needed to determine the relationship of blood-brain barrier damage and development of white matter hyperintensities.
authors: Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA.
authors: Saeid
authors: S
authors: Taheri
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Gasparovic
authors: Branko N
authors: BN
authors: Huisa
authors: John C
authors: JC
authors: Adair
authors: Elaine
authors: E
authors: Edmonds
authors: Jillian
authors: J
authors: Prestopnik
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Grossetete
authors: N Jon
authors: NJ
authors: Shah
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Wills
authors: Clifford
authors: C
authors: Qualls
authors: Gary A
authors: GA
authors: Rosenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010539:Permeability
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins