Cerebral hemodynamics and cognitive function in patients with atherosclerotic lesions of brachiocephalic arteries

Abstract

Steno-occlusive atherosclerotic lesions of extra- and intracranial cerebral arteries is regarded as the most significant factor for ischemic stroke risk. The greater the percentage of stenosis, the higher the risk of stroke. However it is unclear the impact of macroangiopathy (stenos in the carotid arteries) in the inhibition of cognitive functions. In study were included 2 groups of patients: group 1 - patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis >50% (30 patients); group 2 - patients with carotid stenosis <50% (30 patients). In the group with asymptomatic carotid stenosis >50% were 22 (73.3%) male and 8 (26.7%) women; mean age of patients was 62.5 ± 1.3 years. In the group with carotid stenosis <50% - 19 (63.3%) male and 11 (36.6%) women; mean age of patients was 64.5±1.4 years. All patients underwent assessment of scale of cognitive impairment (MMSE, МоСа), cognitive evoked potentials (P-300), duplex scanning of brachiocephalic arteries, transcranial duplex scan, brain MRI and Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with 99mТс-HMPAO. Cerebral perfusion according to SPECT in groups 1 and 2 were 76.2% and 79.2%, respectively; differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). MMSE and MoCa in groups 1 and 2 appeared to be 25.7 ± 0.5 and 26.8 ± 0.5 (p > 0.05); 26.5 ± 0.4 and 27.5 ± 0.4 (p > 0.05), respectively. According to cognitive evoked potentials, latencyP-300 in groups were 406 ± 0.6 ms and 371 ± 0.6 ms, respectively (p > 0.05). No correlation between severity of stenosis and cognitive functions in groups 1 and 2 were seen (r < 0.3). Macroangiopathy of cerebral arteries (carotid stenosis) is not associated with cognitive deterioration.