Analysis of correlation between cerebral perfusion and KIM score of white matter lesions in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Purpose: This study aimed to characterize white matter lesions (WMLs) and regional cerebral perfusion, and evaluate their correlations with cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.

Patient And Methods: One hundred and twenty-eight patients with AD (AD group) and 75 subjects without AD (control group) were recruited. The medical information was collected from each subject. Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) was employed for the assessment of cognition. Cranial MRI was performed, and the KIM scoring system was used to evaluate the white matter hyperintensity. The CT perfusion (CTP) imaging was employed to assess the whole cerebral perfusion, and the region of interest (ROI) was selected to determine the blood perfusion at different parts.

Results: The education level and MoCA score in AD group were significantly lower than in control group (<0.001). The KIM score of juxtaventricular WML (JVWMLs) was significantly different between two groups (<0.05) and AD group showed a higher incidence of severe JVWML and periventricular WML (PVWMLs); in AD group, the total KIM score and KIM scores of JVWMLs, PVWMLs and deep WML (DWMLs) showed negative relationships with the MoCA score (<0.001). As compared to control group, the blood perfusion of either whole brain or different parts in the AD group reduced significantly (<0.05). In the AD group, there was a negative correlations of blood perfusion at JVWM and PVWM with corresponding KIM scores (<0.05 or 0.01). In the AD group, the blood perfusions of the whole brain, JVWMLs, PVWMLs and deep WML were negatively related to MoCA score (<0.05).

Conclusion: In conclusion, the cognitive deficits in the AD patients are associated with the degree of WMLs, especially the JVWML, PVWML and DWML as well as with the reduced perfusion of JVWM, PVWM and deep WM.