Objective:

To explore the association between imaging markers of CSVD and MCR and its key clinical components.

Background:

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a heterogeneous group of vascular pathology associated with poor outcomes in aging. Markers of CSVD include white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and lacunes. Motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) is characterized by subjective cognitive complaints and slow gait. MCR confers higher risk of dementia, including vascular dementia (VD) and shares risk factors with CSVD.

Design/Methods:

We analyzed cross-sectional data from cohorts of community-dwelling older adults without dementia spanning 4 countries (n=1772). WMHs and lacunes were quantified manually using fluid attenuated inverse recovery (FLAIR)/T1 MRI sequences. Logistic and linear regression models evaluated the associations between WMH and lacunes and outcomes of interest; MCR, gait speed, and cognitive complaints.

Results:

The mean age of our combined cohort was 71.1, 49.9% of our cohort were women, 7.3% met criteria for MCR. Higher frontal and basal ganglia WMH scores were associated with MCR (OR=1.23, p=0.007, OR=1.31, p=0.023, respectively). Lacunes in the basal ganglia were associated with MCR (OR=1.57, p=0.018). Higher WMH scores in the frontal, parietal, and temporal regions were associated with slower gait speed (β=-1.48 cm/s, p<0.001, β=-0.77 cm/s, p=0.041, β=-1.57 cm/s, p=0.021), respectively. Higher WMH scores in temporal regions and basal ganglia were associated with cognitive complaints (OR=1.15, p=0.042, OR=1.18, p=0.015). 

Conclusions: