Ai Wern Chung1, Bhavini Patel1, Andrew J. L. Lawrence1, Philip Rich2, Andrew MacKinnon2, Robin G. Morris3, Hugh S. Markus1, Thomas R. Barrick1
1Stroke and Dementia Unit, St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom; 2Neuroradiology, St George's Hospital, London, United Kingdom; 3Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, London, United Kingdom
Cerebral microbleeds (CMB) are hemosiderin deposits in the brain and are a feature of small vessel disease (SVD). To date, there are conflicting results on the association between CMB and cognitive function. Using region-of-interest and tractography analysis, we compared diffusion tensor measures in white matter local and distal to CMB in SVD patients. We found no relationship between the absence/presence, and number of CMB with cognition. Additionally, diffusion measures showed no significant change in white matter in the region of CMB. Our results suggest CMB are not detrimental to white matter integrity nor associated with cognitive function in SVD patients.
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