In:
Alzheimer's & Dementia, Wiley, Vol. 19, No. S3 ( 2023-06)
Abstract:
White matter hyperintensity (WMH), assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is a marker of cerebrovascular disease. Neurofilament light chain (NFL), assessed in the blood, is a biomarker of neurodegeneration. While both measures, WMH and NFL, are associated with cognitive impairment, we aimed to evaluate which of the two measurements is most advantageous in determining the risk of cognitive impairment. Method We conducted this investigation in Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP), a prospective population‐based cohort study in the United States. The study included 1,323 participants with data on NFL serum concentrations and 923 who underwent an MRI scan and had data on WMH volumes. NFL was measured using an ultrasensitive immunoassay, single‐molecule array technology. MRI scans of the brain were acquired using 1.5‐T systems. Global cognitive function was created as a composite measure of 4 neuropsychological tests, standardized and averaged to z‐scores. Linear mixed‐effects models were used to examine associations of the NFL, WMH, and cognitive decline adjusting for age, sex, race, education, and APOE e4. Result Of 1,323 participants, 808 (61%) were African Americans, and 38% were men, with an average age of 78.5 years. WMH and NFL were associated with faster cognitive decline in a multivariable‐adjusted model. Individuals in the third tertile of WMH had a faster cognitive decline by 0.029 (95%CI ‐0.052, ‐0.006) units per year compared to the first tertile. Also, compared to the first tertile of NFL, individuals in the third tertile had a faster cognitive decline by 0.029 (95%CI ‐0.046, ‐0.011) units per year. The stratified analysis by the tertiles of WMH showed that NFL was associated with a cognitive decline only in participants in the lowest tertile of WMH (‐0.089; 95%CI ‐0.159, ‐0.02). Similarly, when we stratified analysis by the tertiles of the NFL, we found a significant association of WMH with cognitive decline only participants in the lowest tertile of the NFL (‐0.052; 95%CI ‐0.008, ‐0.024). Conclusion While both biomarkers, NFL and WMH, are associated with cognitive decline, our findings suggest that within individuals with low values of NFL, WMH may identify people with a faster rate of decline in cognitive functioning.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1552-5260
,
1552-5279
Language:
English
Publisher:
Wiley
Publication Date:
2023
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2201940-6
