A groundbreaking study has unearthed genetic evidence that connects a common brain blood vessel condition, known as white matter hyperintensity (WMH), to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
White matter hyperintensity, characterized by brain lesions, is prevalent in cerebral small-vessel disease. This condition narrows blood vessels, obstructing blood flow and risking strokes. Primarily, WMH is believed to significantly contribute to cognitive decline and dementia, fundamentally impacting individuals’ memory and cognition, and thereby daily living. Alzheimer’s disease remains the most frequent form of dementia.
Researchers from the University of Texas, US, led this pivotal study, noting that previous claims of WMH lesions causing stroke and dementia had been unverified. Published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open, the study offers genetic proof of vascular damage in the brain potentially leading to dementia.
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