| A high risk for cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, e.g. hypertension, atrial fibrillation and diabetes mellitus. One of the underlying mechanisms is that cardiovascular risk factors cause white matter lesions (WMLs), although it is known that WMLs can occur without these factors. Results of many studies suggest a relation between cardiovascular risk factors, WMLs and a decline in several cognitive functions, especially executive functions (EF). However, the domain of EF is widespread and, so far, studies on the relation between cardiovascular diseases, WMLs and EF focused on different aspects of EF instead of on the whole domain. In the present project, elderly with a suspect of cognitive impairment will undergo a physical and neurological examination, MRI-scanning, and a neuropsychological examination, including an extensive battery of EF. The physical examination is also meant to determine cardiovascular risk factors. After this procedure, four groups of subjects are of interest for the present project, i.e. 1) healthy elderly without cardiovascular risk factors and WMLs; 2) patients with cardiovascular risk factors but without WMLs; 3) patients without cardiovascular risk factors but with WMLs; and 4) patients with cardiovascular risk factors and WMLs. Patients with a history of cerebrovascular accidents (e.g. stroke, haemorrhage) will be excluded. It is hypothesized that there will be an cumulative effect for each factor resulting in the poorest performance of EF tasks in patients with a combination of cardiovascular risk factors and WMLs. |
