title: White Matter Integrity in Subcortical Vascular Cognitive Impairment: A Multimodal Structural MRI Study.
abstract: To investigate the disruption of white matter (WM) integrity in patients with subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI) with multimodal structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and to explore the relationships between WM damage, structural network disruptions, and general cognitive function decline.
  
  
  
  Twenty-eight patients with SVCI and twenty control subjects underwent structural MRI scans and neuropsychological assessment. WM volume (WMV), WM hyperintensities (WMH), lacunar infarcts (LI), diffusion tensor imaging parameters and structural network characteristics were compared between two groups. Correlations between these parameters and general cognitive function were calculated.
  
  
  
  WMV, WMH load, LI number, mean fractional anisotropy (FA), peak height and peak location of mean diffusivity (MD) of normal-appearing WM (NAWM) and structural network characteristics were significantly different between the two groups. Disruption of WM microstructure and network characteristics was widespread. WMV, WMH load, mean FA and peak location of MD of NAWM explained about 70% of the variance in structural network characteristics. Shortest path length with LI number explained 47.5% of the variance in z-scores.
  
  
  
  SVCI was associated with widespread disruptions of WM integrity in the brain. Network characteristics may be a comprehensive reflection of WM integrity and a superior predictor of general cognitive function, while LI was an independent predictor of cognitive impairment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127. China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127. China.
authors.forename: Wenwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127. China.
authors.forename: Yawen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127. China.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127. China.
authors.forename: Weina
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127. China.
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 20012. China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127. China.
authors.forename: Jianrong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127. China.
authors.forename: Shiteng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009929:Organ Size; D066127:White Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Subcortical vascular cognitive impairment; diffusion tensor imaging; lacunar infarcts; structure network; white matter; white matter
  hyperintensities