The role of white matter lesions in the pathophysiology of AD

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25460905
• 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: Oita University
• Principal Investigator: KIMURA NORIYUKI 大分大学, 医学部, 准教授 (30433048)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): Nakamura Kenichiro 大分大学, 医学部, 医員 (70608372) ; Aso Yasuhiro 大分大学, 医学部, 助教 (80555194)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症 / 軽度認知障害 / アミロイドイメージング / バイオマーカー / 大脳白質病変

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The white matter lesions (WMLs) were frequently found in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The cross-sectional study showed that WMLs were related to the presence of vascular risk factors, especially hypertension and influenced the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in brain regions associated with the limbic system. Moreover, the longitudinal follow-up study suggested that baseline WMLs may be associated with the rapid progress of cognitive decline and decreased rCBF in frontal and mesial temporal lobes. PET and biomarker studies in patient with MCI and heathy controls showed that the white matter degeneration is found at the preclinical stage of AD and associated with the cerebral amyloid deposition. The cytokines may be involved in the pathophysiology of AD.

Free Research Field

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