The role of cholinergic pathway lesions in vascular cognitive impairment

Abstract

Objective To investigate the relationship between white matter lesions (WML) within the cholinergic pathway and vascular cognitive impairment.Method Middle-aged and elderly stroke patients underwent brain MRI examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).Cholinergic Pathways Hyperintensities Scale (CHIPS) scores and the overall WML burden by Schelten on fluidattenuated inversion recovery MRI images were determined and compared with MoCA scores.Spearman partial rank correlation coefficients and standardized regression coefficients were calculated.Results Thirty four patients were included ( mean age ( 62.2 ± 8.8 ) years, 45-82 years).MoCA scores negatively correlated with WML burdens by Schelten scores ( β = - 0.357, P = 0.042) and CHIPS scores ( β =-0.382,P=0.026).CHIPS scores were negatively associated with visuospatial and executive function (r = - 0.290, P = 0.048 ), naming function ( r = - 0.486, P = 0.002 ), attention ( r = - 0.311, P =0.037) and abstraction ( r = - 0.344, P = 0.023).Schelten scores were negatively associated with naming function (r = - 0.492, P = 0.002), attention ( r = - 0.364, P = 0.017) and abstraction ( r = - 0.390,P=0.011).Conclusion WML lesions within the cholinergic pathyway play a possible role in vascular cognitive impairment especially in visuospatial and executive function. Key words: Cholinergic fibers;  Neurol pathways;  Brain ischemia;  Stroke;  Congnitive disorders;  Severity of illness index