Free water determines diffusion alterations and clinical status in cerebral small vessel disease.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Diffusion tensor imaging detects early tissue alterations in Alzheimer's disease and cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). However, the origin of diffusion alterations in SVD is largely unknown.

Methods

To gain further insight, we applied free water (FW) imaging to patients with genetically defined SVD (Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy [CADASIL], n = 57), sporadic SVD (n = 444), and healthy controls (n = 28). We modeled freely diffusing water in the extracellular space (FW) and measures reflecting fiber structure (tissue compartment). We tested associations between these measures and clinical status (processing speed and disability).

Results

Diffusion alterations in SVD were mostly driven by increas

SUBMITTER: Duering M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5994358 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature