Periventricular and deep abnormal white matter differ in associations with cognitive performance at midlife.
Mark Sanderson‐Cimino, Matthew S. Panizzon, Jeremy A. Elman, Xin Tu, Daniel E. Gustavson, Olivia K. Puckett, Karalani Cross, Randy Notestine, Sean N. Hatton, Lisa T. Eyler, Linda K. McEvoy, Donald J. Hagler, Michael C. Neale, Nathan A. Gillespie, Michael J. Lyons, Carol E. Franz, Christine Fennema‐Notestine, William S. Kremen
Abstract
Our findings suggest that AWM contributes to poorer cognitive function in late-midlife. Examining only total AWM may obscure the potential differential impact of regional AWM. Separating total AWM into subtypes while controlling for current GCA revealed a dissociation in relationships with cognitive performance; deep AWM was associated with nonspecific cognitive ability whereas periventricular AWM was associated with specific frontal-related abilities and memory. Management of vascular or other risk factors that may increase the risk of AWM should begin during or before early late-midlife. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).