Correlation between Alzheimer's disease and carotid artery atherosclerosis / 中华神经医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the correlation between Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VD) and carotid artery atherosclerosis. Methods This case-control study was conducted among 64 AD and 42 VD in-patients and out-patient admitted in Guangzhou Brain Hospital between July 2005 and July 2007, involving also 69 age- and gender-matched control subjects. Color Doppler ultrasound was performed to examine the artery shape, intima-media thickness (IMT), shape and size of the arteriosclerotic plaques, and diameter of the common carotid artery at 2 cm from the bifurcation and of the distal internal carotid artery 1.0-1.5 cm from the enlargement of the initial segment. Results Compared with those in the control group, the IMT, vascular diameter and arteriosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery were significantly increased in the dementia patients (P<0.05), but no obvious differences were found between the AD and VD patients. The degree of carotid artery atherosclerosis, represented by the number of plaques, was inversely correlated to the Mini-Mental State Examination scores (r=-0.389, P=0.000). Conclusion Carotid artery atherosclerosis is closely associated with the development of AD and VD, and the degree of atherosclerosis is positively correlated to the severity of dementia.