Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) is a common cause of cognitive impairment, yet validated biomarkers, particularly those reflecting vascular function, remain lacking. Oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), which reflects the functional status of cerebral small vessels, is a potential physiological biomarker for VCID. We tested this hypothesis in older adults enriched for small vessel diseases, controlling for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) co-pathology.
METHODS
Comprehensive cognitive, plasma, and imaging data were collected from 81 older adults with at least one vascular risk factor. OEF in major cerebral veins was quantified using magnetic resonance imaging. Associations between OEF and cognition, vascular, and plasma AD biomarkers were evaluated.
RESULTS
In this VCID-enriched cohort, poorer global cognition and executive function were associated with elevated OEF, but not with plasma phosphorylated tau 217. Increased OEF correlated with more vascular risk factors and greater white matter hyperintensity volume.
DISCUSSION
Our findings suggest that elevated OEF in individuals with vascular risks is a physiological biomarker for VCID.
If you do not see content above, kindly GO TO SOURCE.
Not all publishers encode content in a way that enables republishing at Neuro.vip.
This post is Copyright: | September 13, 2026
Neuro-Dementia