Vascular risk factor burden correlates with cerebrovascular reactivity but not resting state coactivation in the default mode network
Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging April 17, 2015 Ekaterina Tchistiakova, David Crane, David J. Mikulis et al. 20 citations
White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are common in older adults and linked to cognitive decline, stroke, and dementia. Vascular risk factors (VRFs) such as high blood pressure contribute to WMH, but their effect on gray matter function is unclear. In 29 participants with suspected WMH, those with more VRFs showed lower cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) in the default-mode network (DMN), measured using a dual-regression analysis of BOLD imaging during hypercapnia. CVR in the DMN also correlated with resting-state coactivation. No differences were found in sensory-motor or medial-visual networks. The findings suggest that multiple VRFs may impair blood flow regulation in key brain networks.