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Relationship between the severity of cerebral white matter hyperintensities and sympathetic nervous activity in older adults
Author(s) -
Obara Toshimasa,
Nagai Kumiko,
Shibata Shigeki,
Hirasawa Ai,
Koshiba Hitomi,
Hasegawa Hiroshi,
Ebihara Takae,
Kozaki Koichi
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
geriatrics and gerontology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1447-0594
pISSN - 1444-1586
DOI - 10.1111/ggi.13217
Subject(s) - hyperintensity , medicine , abnormality , cardiology , white matter , magnetic resonance imaging , audiology , radiology , psychiatry
Aim White matter hyperintensities (WMH), visualized on brain magnetic resonance imaging, represent an abnormality related to the development of geriatric syndromes. Recently, it has been found that low sympathetic nervous activity might be associated with physical and cognitive dysfunction in older adults. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between the severity of cerebral WMH and sympathetic nervous activity, measured by the heart rate variability. Methods We carried out a cross‐sectional study of 39 older patients. Holter recording was carried out for 30 min. From the RR intervals on the electrocardiogram, the standard deviation of the normal‐to‐normal intervals, the standard deviation of all normal‐to‐normal intervals in all the five segments of the entire recording, low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) and LF/HF were calculated. In regard to the WMH, periventricular hyperintensities and deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMH) were rated according to the Fazekas classification. The WMH were also rated semiquantitatively according to the methods developed by Junque (periventricular hyperintensities) and de Groot (DWMH). Results The LF/HF showed significant negative correlations with the total and regional periventricular hyperintensities, as well as DWMH. Multiple regression analysis showed that the negative associations remained significant between the LF/HF and DWMH (total, temporal, occipital). Furthermore, fall risk index significantly correlated with the LF/HF, total and the occipital DWMH. Conclusions The severity of the DWMH was associated with the LF/HF and the fall risk, one of the important geriatric syndromes, suggesting that WMH, sympathetic nervous dysfunction and geriatric syndrome are interrelated to each other. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 569–575 .