Associations among intracranial dilative arteriopathy, dementia and risk factors for these conditions

• Project/Area Number: 15K08934
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General internal medicine(including psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: Showa University
• Principal Investigator: Ichikawa Hiroo 昭和大学, 医学部, 准教授 (70296953)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 井上 学 昭和大学, 医学部, 講師 (60439362)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2017)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥900,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
• Keywords: 頭蓋内脳動脈 / 拡張性動脈硬化 / 脳萎縮 / 認知症 / Alzheimer病 / 脳血管径 / 深部白質病変 / 神経変性疾患 / MRI

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To assess the association between dilative arteriopathy and brain atrophy related to dementia, the diameter of the intracranial cerebral artery and parameters of brain atrophy measured on MRI were examined in patients with Alzheimer-type dementia. Brain atrophy parameters were evaluated using a voxel-based analysis system specific for Alzheimer’s disease (VSRAD), including volume of interest (VOI) atrophy in medial temporal structures and extent of gray matter atrophy. Statistical analyses showed no significant association between the cerebral arterial diameter and VSRAD parameters on MRI examined simultaneously. However, further studies with chronological assessment of brain atrophy showed that the diameter of the internal carotid artery was significantly correlated with annual changes in brain atrophy parameters. These results suggest that intracranial dilative arteriopathy may affect progression of brain atrophy leading to dementia.