title: White matter hyperintensities, executive function and global cognitive performance in vascular mild cognitive impairment.
abstract: Vascular mild cognitive impairment (VaMCI) represents an early symptomatic stage of vascular cognitive impairment and might be associated to fronto-executive dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six individuals (age: 73.11±7.90 years; 65.4% female; schooling: 9.84±3.61 years) were selected through neuropsychological assessment and neuroimaging. Clinical and neuroimaging data of VaMCI individuals (n=15) were compared to normal controls (NC, n=11) and correlated with Fazekas scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VaMCI performed significantly worse than NC in Trail-Making Test (TMT) B, errors in TMT B, difference TMT B-A and Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG) final scores. Correlations were found among scores in modified Fazekas scale and performances in TMT B (time to complete and errors), difference TMT B-A and CAMCOG total score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extension of white matter hyperintensities might be correlated to poorer global cognition and impairments in a set of fronto-executive functions, such as cognitive speed, set shifting and inhibitory control in VaMCI.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil. fksudo@gmail.com
authors.forename: Felipe Kenji
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Sudo
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo Oliveira
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Gilberto Sousa
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Letice
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ericeira-Valente
authors.forename: Chan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tiel
authors.forename: Denise Madeira
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Jerson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laks
authors.forename: Eliasz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Engelhardt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D056784:Leukoencephalopathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014145:Trail Making Test