Abstract P009: Association Between Intracranial Subclinical Vessel Diseases and Cognition in a Community-Based Sample of Japanese Men: Shiga Epidemiological Study of Subclinical Atherosclerosis (SESSA)

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Intracranial subclinical vessel diseases are considered important indicators of cognitive impairment. However, comprehensive assessment on various types of vessel disease is lacking. We aim to compare various types of intracranial vessel disease in association with cognitive function among a community-based male population. Method: The Shiga Epidemiological Study of Subclinical Atherosclerosis (SESSA) randomly recruited and examined participants from Shiga, Japan in 2006-08 at baseline. Among 824 male participants in the follow-up exam (2010-12), we restricted our analyses to those who underwent the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI), cranial magnetic resonance imaging/angiogram (MRI/MRA, 1.5-Tesla), and free of stroke or neurodegenerative disease. Using MRI/MRA, we assessed intracranial arterial stenosis and four types of small vessel diseases: lacunar infarction and microbleed, periventricular hyperintensity (PVH), deep and subcortical white matter hyperintensity (DSWMH). We graded each vessel disease into 3 grades by severity. Cerebral artery stenosis was graded according to the presence of most stenotic lesions in the major 11 vessels: no stenosis (grade 1), 1-50% stenosis at least 1 vessel (grade 2), ≥ 50% stenosis at least 1 vessel (grade 3). Lacunar infarct was graded according to number of infarct: 0 (grade 1), 1-2 (grade 2), >2 (grade 3). Microbleed was graded according to number of microbleed: 0 (grade 1), 1 (grade 2), ≥2 (grade 3). PVH and DSWMH were graded according to Shinohara’s scale (a modified Fazekas scale): scale 0 to 1 (grade 1), scale 2 (grade 2), scale ≥3 (grade 3). Using linear regression, CASI score (ranging from 0 to 100 with a higher score indicating better cognition) was calculated according to the grade of each vessel disease adjusted for age and education year attained. Results: We analyzed 693 men. Mean (standard deviation) age and CASI score was 67.9 (8.1) years, and 91.2 (5.4), respectively. Significant inverse trends were observed between disease grade and CASI score for DSWMH and PVH: adjusted CASI scores of grade 1, 2, and 3 were 91.7, 91.2, and 90.4 (P trend 0.015) for DSWMH, and 91.5, 90.4, and 89.8 (P trend 0.007) for PVH. No clear trend across the grade was observed in other vessel diseases. Conclusion: Among various types of intracranial subclinical vessel diseases assessed with MRA/MRI, white matter hyperintensity (PVH, and DSWMH) had significant dose-response relationships to cognitive function in a community-based male sample that has a relatively well-preserved cognition level. Our finding suggests that white matter hyperintensity is an important early predictor of cognitive functions among subclinical vessel diseases.