Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1916280 | Journal of the Neurological Sciences | 2007 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
Brain microangiopathy, whose neuroimaging expression is represented by age-related white matter changes (ARWMC), is largely due to hypertension and it is, in turn, responsible for geriatric syndromes, including decline in cognitive, functional and motor/gait abilities. This review analyzes the link between hypertension and ARWMC, as well as the complex relationships between ARWMC and cognitive impairment, executive dysfunction, and movement/gait abnormalities. The available evidence supports the hypothesis that these functional consequences of ARWMC are responsible for substantial disability in the elderly. Thus, adequate treatment of hypertension may represent a feasible way to reduce the burden of disability in late life.
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Authors
Marco Inzitari, Claudia Pozzi, Lucio A. Rinaldi, Giulio Masotti, Niccolò Marchionni, Mauro Di Bari,