title: Cerebral Microbleeds and Cognitive Function in Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We explored the association between cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) and cognitive impairment in patients with ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 488 ischemic stroke/TIA patients received magnetic resonance imaging. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to evaluate global cognitive function and cognitive domains. The association of CMB quantity with cognitive function and the impact of CMB locations (strictly lobar, strictly deep, and mixed regions) on cognitive impairment were examined in regression models with adjustments for confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 113 subjects (23.2%) had ≥1 CMB. Strictly lobar, strictly deep, and mixed CMBs were identified in 36, 40, and 37 patients, respectively. The presence of ≥5 CMBs or strictly deep CMBs was associated with the MoCA total score (p = 0.007 and 0.020, respectively). Of all MoCA domains tested, a lower score in the attention domain was related to the presence of ≥5 CMBs (p = 0.014) and strictly deep CMBs (p = 0.028).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CMBs were associated with cognitive dysfunction in stroke/TIA patients, especially in the attention domain. This association was mainly driven by CMBs in the deep region, underlining the role of hypertensive microangiopathy in stroke-related cognitive impairment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Zhaolu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Wenyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Winnie C W
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Yunyun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Yannie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Soo
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Lawrence K S
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Vincent C T
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Mok
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000150:complications; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*