[이데일리 이순용 기자] Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital Neurology Professor Jeong Seung-ho, Yonsei University College of Medicine Yongin Severance Hospital Neurology Professor Jeong Seok-jong and Severance Hospital Neurology Professor Lee Pil-hyu and their team found that cognitive function deteriorates rapidly in Alzheimer’s disease when the degree of cerebral vascular space expansion is severe. revealed
‘Perivascular space dilation’ is a common finding when taking brain MRI, and the discovery of this finding means that there is a problem with the function of cleaning waste and toxins in the brain.
The research team performed 3T (Tesla: Tesla, magnetic field strength) MRI brain images of 208 Alzheimer’s disease patients with amyloid deposits confirmed through amyloid PET imaging at Severance Hospital when diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. Centrum semiovale) and hippocampus were analyzed to confirm the degree of expansion of the cerebral vascular space.
In addition, in 158 Alzheimer’s disease patients who underwent the Mini-Mental State Exam twice or more at intervals of at least 1 year, the relationship between the expansion of the cerebral vascular space and the rate of decline in the cognitive score was analyzed. did.
As a result of the study, although no correlation was found between the expansion of the cerebral vascular space and the degree of amyloid deposition in the three regions, the cognitive score of patients with severe cerebral vascular space expansion in the ovoid center decreased rapidly by 0.58 points each year compared to those without it. could find out
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Although it has been known to some extent that expansion of the cerebrovascular space is associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia through previous studies, this study is the first to show that expansion of the cerebrovascular space is associated with cognitive decline in patients with confirmed Alzheimer’s disease. turned out to be This suggests that therapies targeting the expansion of the perivascular space in the brain can help inhibit the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Professor Jeong Seung-ho (Department of Neurology, Sanggye Paik Hospital) said, “The association between the expansion of the cerebral vascular space and Alzheimer’s disease and dementia has been known to some extent in previous studies, but this study conducted a longitudinal analysis in patients with confirmed Alzheimer’s disease and analyzed the cerebral vascular space. “It is significant as it is the first to reveal that expansion is associated with cognitive decline.”
Professor Jeong Seok-jong (Department of Neurology, Yongin Severance Hospital) said, “The expansion of the space around the cerebral blood vessels is an image finding that can be easily confirmed by taking a brain MRI. “We expect that it will be relatively simple to predict prognosis related to cognition when treating patients with Alzheimer’s disease.”
Professor Pil-Hyu Lee (Department of Neurology, Severance Hospital) said, “The expansion of the space around the cerebral blood vessels means that there is a problem with the function of cleaning waste and toxins in the brain. “This suggests that therapies that target this may help inhibit the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.”
This study was recently published in ‘Neurology’, a top SCI-level journal in the field of clinical neurology.