Pathophysiological mechanism of white matter hyperintensities / 国际脑血管病杂志

ABSTRACT

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are one of the MRI markers of cerebral small vessel disease, which are more common in the elderly, and are closely associated with the clinical manifestations such as cognitive impairment and gait disorder, however, the pathophysiological mechanism is currently unclear. This article expounds the possible pathophysiological mechanisms of WMHs from many aspects, such as hypoperfusion, blood-brain barrier destruction, oxidative stress, inflammation, and genetics.