The Relationship of Cerebral Vessel Pathology to Brain Microinfarcts
Year: 2016
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The relationship of cerebral vessel pathology to brain microinfarcts is not fully understood. We examined associations of cerebral vessel pathology with microinfarcts among community-dwelling persons who came to autopsy. Brain specimens were derived from 1,066 deceased subjects (mean age-at-death = 88 years, 65% women) participating in a cohort study of aging. Microinfarcts were classified by number, age and location. Severity of vessel pathologies was graded semi-quantitatively. Almost a third of subjects (n = 300; 28%) had at least one chronic microinfarct, including 128 cortical only, 120 subcortical only, and 47 with both. Moderate-to-severe atherosclerosis was present in 430 (41%) subjects, arteriolosclerosis in 382 (36%), and amyloid angiopathy in 374 (35%). The odds of one or multiple microinfarct(s) was increased for more severe atherosclerosis (OR =1.22; 95%CI: 1.03-1.45), arteriolosclerosis (OR =1.18; 95%CI: 1.02-1.37) and amyloid angiopathy (OR =1.13; 95%CI: 1.00-1.28). Separately, the odds of subcortical microinfarct(s) was increased for atherosclerosis (OR =1.49; 95%CI: 1.20-1.84) and arteriolosclerosis (OR =1.39; 95%CI: 1.16-1.67) but not amyloid angiopathy; whereas the odds of cortical microinfarct(s) was increased for amyloid angiopathy (OR =1.26; 95%CI: 1.09-1.46) only. While cerebral vessel pathologies are associated with microinfarct burden, atherosclerosis and arteriolosclerosis are associated with subcortical microinfarcts, and amyloid angiopathy with cortical microinfarcts.
Source: Brain Pathology
DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12365
Institution: Rush University Medical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: Brain and Spinal Cord Microvascular Pathology in Late-Life Motor Impairment, Epidemiologic Study of Neural Reserve and Neurobiology of Aging, Mechanisms linking insulin resistance to brain structure, pathology, and function, Risk Factors, Pathology, and Clinical Expressions of AD, Rush Alzheimer's Disease Core Center, Vascular Cognitive and Motor Decline: Impact of aPL, Risk Factors, Pathology, and Clinical Expressions of AD, G9000288398
OpenAlex ID: W2253549225