title: Microbleeds in Alzheimer's Disease: A Neuropsychological Overview and Meta-Analysis.
abstract: The current literature on the role of brain microbleeds (MB) on the neuropsychological outcomes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is heterogeneous. We therefore meta-analytically examined the neuropsychological literature pertaining to MBs in AD. Using a priori selected criteria, studies with cross-sectional neuropsychological assessment on MBs and AD were reviewed. Six of 122 studies met selection criteria and provided neuropsychological data on either AD with MB and without MB, or in contrast to healthy controls. The global neuropsychological difference between AD with MB and AD without MB based on random effect model was nonsignificant, heterogeneous, and small (Effect Size =-0.155; 95% confidence interval =-0.465 to 0.155; p value =0.326; Heterogenity: Q-value =12.744; degrees of freedom =5; p =0.026; I2 =61%). The contribution of MBs to cognitive deficits in AD remains unclear. Future studies of MB in AD should strive to use standardized neuroimaging techniques with high sensitivity for MB, a common standard for MB definition, and neuropsychological tests sensitive for detecting subtle cognitive impairment.
authors.affiliation: 1Faculty of Medicine,Division of Neurology,University of British Columbia,Vancouver,Canada.
authors.forename: Amir A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6055-4457
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sepehry
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Paediatrics,University of British Columbia,Vancouver,Canada.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1961-8252
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rauscher
authors.affiliation: 1Faculty of Medicine,Division of Neurology,University of British Columbia,Vancouver,Canada.
authors.forename: Ging-Yuek
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Hsiung
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Radiology,University of British Columbia,Vancouver,Canada.
authors.forename: Donna J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9373-1555
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology*; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000150:complications*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Meta-analysis; Microbleed; Neuropsychology