title: Improvement of working memory after stenting for cervicocerebral artery stenosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the working memory of patients with cervicocerebral artery stenosis and its change after stenting.
  
  
  METHODS
  35 patients with cervicocerebral artery stenosis (≥50% with related symptoms of cerebral ischemia, or ≥70% with or without related symptoms of cerebral ischemia) underwent endovascular stenting. Working memory of all 35 patients before and within 3 weeks of stenting was evaluated by memory quotient (MQ) scores. Change in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was assessed by single photon emission CT (SPECT) for 13 of the patients. MQ scores were compared according to location and degree of stenosis for all patients, as well as changes in rCBF for the 13 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean MQ scores were significantly lower than normal for patients with carotid artery stenosis alone and for patients with carotid stenosis in addition to vertebrobasilar and/or subclavical stenosis, but not for patients with vertebrobasilar and/or subclavical stenosis. MQ scores were significantly increased after stenting for all patients, especially those with carotid stenosis. There was no significant difference between patients with moderate stenosis and those with severe (>70%) stenosis in MQ increments pre- and post-stenting (p=0.085). Nine of the 13 patients who received SPECT showed an improvement in rCBF after stenting, and their MQ increments were significantly higher than those without an improvement in rCBF (p=0.020).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Working memory impairment can be observed in patients with cervicocerebral artery stenosis, especially those with carotid stenosis. Endovascular stenting of stenosis might improve the impairment by alleviating cerebral perfusion deficit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zi-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Zhuang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jia-Chun
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Da-Ming
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D002548:Cerebral Revascularization / Q000379:methods*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Intervention; Stenosis; Stent