© 1995 Oxford University Press
research-article |
The Relationship between White Matter Low Attenuation on Brain CT and Vascular Risk Factors: A Memory Clinic Study
Frenchay Hospital, University of Bristol Bristol BS16 1LE
Blackberry Hill Hospital Bristol
In order to discover the prevalence of white matter low attenuation (WMLA) in the brain and its relationship to vascular risk factors in our Memory Disorders Clinic patients we assessed brain CT scans of 202 patients referred to our clinic between January 1991 and December 1992.
One hundred patients (49.5%) had WMLA, and the prevalence increased with increasing severity of cognitive impairment. It was 12% in patients with no evidence of dementia, 32% in those with isolated memory loss, and 59% in patients with possible or probable dementia.
There was a correlation between WMLA and systolic blood pressure, heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, focal neurological signs on examination and central atrophy on CT. No correlation was found between WMLA and low blood pressure, blood glucose or cholesterol level. Our findings indicate that WMLA probably plays an important role in cognitive impairment, and that thromboembolic rather than haemodynamic factors are probably more important in its pathogenesis.
Revision received January 19, 1995.
![]()
CiteULike
Connotea
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
L M L de Lau, A D Smith, H Refsum, C Johnston, and M M B Breteler Plasma vitamin B12 status and cerebral white-matter lesions J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, February 1, 2009; 80(2): 149 - 157. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. R. Waldstein, C. F. Tankard, K. J. Maier, J. R. Pelletier, J. Snow, A. W. Gardner, R. Macko, and L. I. Katzel Peripheral Arterial Disease and Cognitive Function Psychosom Med, September 1, 2003; 65(5): 757 - 763. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. C. Morris, P. A. Scherr, L. E. Hebert, R. J. Glynn, D. A. Bennett, and D. A. Evans Association of Incident Alzheimer Disease and Blood Pressure Measured From 13 Years Before to 2 Years After Diagnosis in a Large Community Study Arch Neurol, October 1, 2001; 58(10): 1640 - 1646. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. Amar and G. Wilcock Fortnightly Review: Vascular dementia BMJ, January 27, 1996; 312(7025): 227 - 231. [Abstract] [Full Text] |
||||



