Cerebral Small Vessel Disease, Hypertension, and Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia

Hypertension-associated cerebral small vessel disease is a common finding in older people. Strongly associated with age and hypertension, small vessel disease is found at autopsy in over 50% of people aged ≥65 years, with a spectrum of clinical manifestations. It is the main cause of lacunar stroke and a major source of vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia. The brain areas affected are subcortical and periventricular white matter and deep gray nuclei. Neuropathological sequelae are diffuse white matter lesions (seen as white matter hyperintensities on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging), small ischemic foci (lacunes or microinfarcts), and less commonly, subcortical microhemorrhages.…

• EL
  Eli Lilly and Company
• AP
  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
• AS
  Alzheimer's Society
• AP
  Apellis Pharmaceuticals
• NI
  National Institute for Health and Care Research
• BH
  British Heart Foundation
• UO
  University of Cambridge
• CU
  Cambridge University Hospitals
• FA
  FONDATION ALZHEIMER
• NI
  National Institutes of Health
• MR
  Medical Research Council

  Awards: MR/L023784/2, MR/T033371/1
• NI
  National Institute on Aging