Abnormalities of Cerebral Deep Medullary Veins on 7 Tesla MRI in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Study

Article type: Short Communication

Authors: Bouvy, Willem H.^a | Kuijf, Hugo J.^b | Zwanenburg, Jaco J.M.^c | Koek, Huiberdina L.^d | Kappelle, L. Jaap^a | Luijten, Peter R.^{b; c} | Ikram, M. Kamran^{a; e} | Biessels, Geert Jan^{a; *} | on behalf of the Utrecht Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI) Study group¹

Affiliations: [a] Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands | [b] Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands | [c] Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands | [d] Department of Geriatrics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands | [e] Departments of Neurology and Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Geert Jan Biessels, MD, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Neurology G03.323, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht,The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 88 7556866; Fax: +31 30 2542100; E-mail: g.j.biessels@umcutrecht.nl.

Note: [1] Members of the Utrecht Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI) Study group involved in the present study (in alphabetical order by department): University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands, Department of Neurology: E. van den Berg, J.M. Biesbroek, G.J. Biessels, M. Brundel, W.H. Bouvy, L.G. Exalto, C.J.M. Frijns, O. Groeneveld, S.M. Heringa, L.J. Kappelle, Y.D. Reijmer, J. Verwer; Department of Radiology/Image Sciences Institute: J. de Bresser, H.J. Kuijf, A. Leemans, P.R. Luijten, M.A. Viergever, K.L. Vincken, J.J.M. Zwanenburg; Deparment of Geriatrics: H.L. Koek, J.E. deWit; Hospital Diakonessenhuis Zeist, the Netherlands: M. Hamaker, R. Faaij, M. Pleizier, E. Vriens.

Abstract: Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) contributes to cognitive impairment and dementia. SVD may affect veins, but veins are difficult to detect with 1.5 and 3T MRI. We compared deep medullary veins (DMVs) visualized on 7T-MRI between patients with early Alzheimer’s disease (eAD; n = 17) or amnestic MCI (aMCI; n = 12) and controls (n = 40). The number and density of DMVs was similar in patients and controls, but tortuosity was higher in eAD (Cohen’s d = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.1–1.2, p = 0.02) and aMCI (Cohen’s d = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.2–1.5, p = 0.01), independent of brain atrophy. Venous changes provide a new perspective on vascular involvement in dementia.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral small vessel disease, cerebral veins, magnetic resonance imaging

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-160952

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 57, no. 3, pp. 705-710, 2017