Investigation of the Effects of Aging and Small Vessel Disease on Cardiac Frequency Signal in Cerebral White Matter as Imaged by Echo Planar Imaging using Magnetic Resonance
Year: 2012
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is highly prevalent in older adults and is a predictor of stroke, dementia, and death. SVD is also associated with cognitive dysfunction, gait problems, and urinary incontinence. SVD is diagnosed based on white matter hyperintensities on T2\nweighted scans. This thesis investigates the cardiac frequency component of resting state\nfunctional magnetic resonance imaging data in young healthy adults, older healthy adults, and older adults with pronounced SVD. A cardiac pulsatility metric is defined, and a tissue type contrast is observed between white matter, grey matter, and cerebrospinal fluid. Aging and disease effects are observed on cardiac pulsatility in white matter. The increased pulsatility may reflect the pathology of venous collagenosis and draining vein stenosis. Developing a better understanding of the etiology of SVD is an important step towards treating the disease.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Ilia Makedonov
Language: English
Subfield: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W224743556