Resolving cognitive heterogeneity in white matter hyperintensities through integrated analyses of microbiome, metabolome, and brain glymphatic function.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Individuals with similar white matter hyperintensities (WMH) burden show heterogeneous cognitive outcomes, yet the biological mechanisms underlying this variability remain incompletely understood.

Methods

We integrated 16S rDNA sequencing, untargeted metabolomics, and multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to comprehensively characterize gut microbiome, plasma metabolome, and brain glymphatic function in 56 healthy controls, 40 WMH with normal cognition (WMH-NC), and 49 WMH with cognitive impairment (WMH-CI).

Results

Group comparisons revealed differences in six bacterial genera, three plasma metabolites, and five glymphatic markers across three groups, with Acetivibrio, 1,5-naphthalenediamine, beta-uridine, free water fraction within the white matt

SUBMITTER: Xu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12910248 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature