Risk factors for cerebral hypoperfusion, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia

Putative risk factors accelerating mild cognitive decline and dementia were correlated with repeated measures of cerebral atrophy, CT, densitometry, perfusions, and cognitive testing among neurologically and cognitively normative aging volunteers. A total of 224 normative subjects at increased risk for cognitive decline were admitted to the study. Mean entry age was 59.5 ± 15.8 years. Mean follow-up is 5.8 ± 3.3 years. At follow-up, 22 developed mild cognitive impairment (41 CCSE ≥ −3), 19 became demented—8 with Vascular type (VAD), 11 with Alzheimer’s type (DAT)—and 183 remain cognitively unchanged. Cerebral atrophy, tissue densities, and perfusions were measured by Xe-CT. After age 60, cerebral atrophy, ventricular enlargement, and polio- and leuko-araiosis geometrically increased as perfusions declined. Risk factors accelerating perfusional decline, cerebral atrophy, polio-araiosis, and leuko-araiosis were: transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), hypertension, smoking, hyperlipidemia, and male gender. At age 71.5 ± 11.9, mild cognitive impairment began accelerated by TIAs, hypertension and heart disease. Leuko-araiosis began before cognitive decline. TIAs, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia correlated with VAD. Excessive cortical perfusional decrease, gray and white matter hypodensities, and cerebral atrophy correlate with cognitive decline.