A groundbreaking study has uncovered genetic evidence that links a common brain blood vessel condition, known as white matter hyperintensity (WMH), to dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
White matter hyperintensities, characterized by brain lesions, are prevalent in cerebral small vessel disease. This condition narrows blood vessels, impeding blood flow and increasing the risk of stroke. Predictably, WMH are believed to contribute significantly to cognitive decline and dementia, which fundamentally affects individuals' memory and cognition, and thus impacts daily life. Alzheimer's disease remains the most common form of dementia.
Researchers at the University of Texas, US, led this important study, which found that previous claims that WMH lesions caused stroke and dementia were unverified. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open, this study presents genetic evidence of vascular damage in the brain that potentially causes dementia.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)