F2. White Matter Lesions are Common in Midlife and Associated With Cognitive Decline

As the brain ages, it begins to accrue small microbleeds and lesions in white matter that are readily detectable as white matter hyperintensities (WMH) using FLAIR MRI. Accumulation of WMH is associated with multiple dementia risk factors, including age, hypertension, stroke, and brain atrophy. Longitudinal studies have reported that the spread of WMH coincides with age-related cognitive decline in general populations of older adults. However, the age at which WMH begin to signal cognitive deficits is still unclear.

Source: Biological Psychiatry - May 13, 2019 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tracy d'Arbeloff, Maxwell Elliott, Annchen Knodt, Tracy Melzer, Ross Keenan, David Ireland, Sandhya Ramrakha, Richie Poulton, Avshalom Caspi, Terrie Moffitt, Ahmad Hariri Source Type: research