Objectives : The aims of this study were to know the frequency of white matter lesions(WMLs) on brain magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) in patients with mild cognitive impairment(MCI), and to identify related factors.
Methods : Among WMLs, periventricular hyperintensities(PVHs) and deep white matter hyperintensities(DWMHs) on brain MRI in patients with MCI(N=30), patients with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (DAT)(N=34) and normal aged controls(N=20) were analyzed. Furthermore, related variables including cardiovascular risk factors were discussed.
Results : 1) The frequencies of the third degree PVHs in patients with MCI(16.6%) were significantly different from those of normal aged controls(5.0%), and from those of patients with DAT(38.2%)(p＜0.05). However, frequencies of the third degree DWMHs in patients with MCI(23.3%) were not different from those of normal aged controls(10.0%), and from those of patients with DAT(35.3%). 2) The frequencies of various cardiovascular risk factors in patients with MCI, patients with DAT and normal aged controls were not significantly different. 3) The severity of PVLs seemed to be related to age(p＜0.05), systolic blood pressure(p＜0.05) and diastolic blood pressure(p＜0.005). The severity of DWMHs were seemed to be related to sex(p＜0.05), education(p＜0.05), Global Deterioration Scale(p＜0.05), systolic blood pressure(p＜0.01) and diastolic blood pressure(p＜0.05).
Conclusion : The PVHs might be useful to discriminate patients with MCI from normal aged person. Active management of hypertension seemed to be crucial to prevent from development of WMLs.
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