Correlation between behavioural and psychological symptoms and cerebral whte matter lesions in patients with Alzheimer＇s disease

Shouzi Zhang

doi:10.3760/cma.j.issn.1673-4165.2009.02.001

Abstract

Objective To investigate the correlation between behavioural and psychological symptoms and cerebral white matter lesions （WMLs） in patients with Alzheimer＇s disease （AD）. Methods Sixty patients with AD aged more than 60 years （AD group） and 40 age-, sex-matched subjects with normal cognitive function （control group） were recruited. The data of cerebral CT were analyzed blindly. The sum of WMLs in 8 regions, such as bilateral frontal region, parieto-occipital region, temporal region, and subtentorial region, etc were used as the total score of WMLs, and the cerebrovascular lesions revealed on CT were detected. The AD group was assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory （NPI）. Results There were significant differences in total WML score （1. 450 ±2.310 vs. 9. 640 ± 1. 566, P =0. 000）, left frontal WMLs （0. 340 ± 0. 340 vs. 1. 720 ± 0. 248, P = 0. 001 ）, right frontal WMLs （0. 310 ±0. 560 vs. 1. 680 ±0. 312, P =0. 001）, left parieto-occipital WMLs （0. 240 ±0. 360 vs. 1. 550 ±0. 244, P =0. 012）, right parieto-occipital WMLs （ 0. 140 ±0. 230 vs. 1. 450 ± 0. 231, P = 0. 006） and cerebrovascular lesions （0. 120 ± 0. 330 vs. 2. 230 ± 0. 378, P = 0. 002） between the AD group and the control group. Spearman correlation analysis showed that NPI was correlated with the total WML score （rs =0. 487, P = 0. 016）, left frontal WMLs （rs =0. 490, P = 0. 014）, right frontal WMLs （rs = 0. 502, P = 0. 014）, left parieto-occipital WMLs （rs =0. 507, P =0. 012） and right parieto-occipital WMLs （rs =0. 521, P = 0. 014）, and it was not correlated with the cerebrovascular lesions （rs = 0. 132, P = 0. 590 ）.Conclusions WMLs and cerebrovascular lesions are essential in the onset of AD and disease development. WMLs are closely correlated with the behavioural and psychological symptoms in patients with AD. Key words: Alzheimer＇s disease; cerebrovascular disorders; social behavior disorders; neuropsychological tests

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