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Brain abnormalities in the elderly: frequency and predictors in the United States (the Cardiovascular Health Study). Cardiovascular Health Study Collaborative Research Group.
Tuesday,2012-11-06 12:27 America/Los_Angeles — eenright
| Title | Brain abnormalities in the elderly: frequency and predictors in the United States (the Cardiovascular Health Study). Cardiovascular Health Study Collaborative Research Group. |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 1998 |
| Authors | Longstreth, WT |
| Journal | J Neural Transm Suppl |
| Volume | 53 |
| Pagination | 9-16 |
| Date Published | 1998 |
| ISSN | 0303-6995 |
| Keywords | Aged, Brain, Brain Diseases, Cerebral Infarction, Cerebrovascular Disorders, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, United States |
| Abstract | <p><b>PURPOSE: </b>Characterize brain abnormalities in elderly people using cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>Comprehensive lists of people 65 years and older living in the United States of America were used to obtain a representative sample of 5,888 community-dwelling participants who underwent extensive standardized evaluations. A subset of 3,660 underwent MRI. Without clinical information, neuroradiologists evaluated each scan.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>Enlarged ventricles and sulci and prominent white matter changes were relatively common, even in a subset of the healthiest participants. Infarcts 3 mm or greater were present in 31% of all participants and 28% of those without a history of stroke. Most infarcts were clinically silent, small, and in the basal ganglia. Among those without a history of stroke, white matter changes were common but mostly of a mild degree. These changes were independently related to greater age, silent stroke, higher systolic blood pressure, lower forced expiratory volume in one second and income less than $50,000 per year. Changes were also associated with dysfunction, especially of cognition and the lower extremities.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION: </b>MRI abnormalities are common in elderly people. Cautious interpretation is appropriate because participants are healthier than the general population and the study's design is cross-sectional.</p> |
| Alternate Journal | J. Neural Transm. Suppl. |
| PubMed ID | 9700642 |
| Grant List | N01-HC-85079 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States N01-HC-85086 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States |