title: White matter hyperintensities and prepulse inhibition in a mixed elderly population.
abstract: Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle response, a measure for sensorimotor gating, exhibits a relatively high inter-individual variability in elderly subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether white matter hyperintensities (WMH), frequently identified on cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in elderly subjects with and without cognitive impairment, may contribute to variations in PPI. A passive acoustic PPI paradigm was applied in 92 human subjects (53 healthy and 39 patients with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment) between 60 and 85years of age. WMH were rated visually on craniel MRI FLAIR images using the Fazekas scale. WMH were identified in 70% of all subjects. The latency to peak of the startle response increased significantly with increasing WMH load, whereas the inhibition of the startle response (PPI) was neither significantly related to the degree of WMH nor to cognitive performance. We conclude that the presence of WMH in the fronto-striatal brain circuit may affect the latency of the startle response, but not information processing in elderly subjects.
authors: Memory Disorders Research Group, Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark. Electronic address: lise.salem@rh.regionh.dk.
authors: Lise C
authors: LC
authors: Salem
authors: Memory Disorders Research Group, Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
authors: Anne-Mette
authors: AM
authors: Hejl
authors: Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark.
authors: Ellen
authors: E
authors: Garde
authors: Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark.
authors: Anne Mette
authors: AM
authors: Leffers
authors: Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark; Neurobiology Research Unit, The Neuroscience Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
authors: Olaf B
authors: OB
authors: Paulson
authors: Memory Disorders Research Group, Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
authors: Gunhild
authors: G
authors: Waldemar
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*