Paper Spotlight: Aging, Prevalence and Risk Factors of MRI-Visible Enlarged Perivascular Spaces

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Aging (Aging-US)

Aging (Aging-US) published this trending research paper in Volume 14, Issue 17, entitled, “Aging, prevalence and risk factors of MRI-visible enlarged perivascular spaces” by researchers from Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, NHLBI’s Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, MA, Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, Department of Radiology, Veterans Affairs Boston Health System, Boston, MA, Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, The Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, TX, Department of Neurology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA. DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.204181 Corresponding author - Jose R. Romero - joromero@bu.edu Abstract Background and purpose: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) increases with age and is associated with stroke and cognitive decline. Enlarged Perivascular Spaces (ePVS) is an emerging marker of CSVD, but its prevalence over the life span remain unclear. We characterized the age and sex-specific prevalence of ePVS and relation to age-specific risk factors, in a large community-based sample. Methods: We included 3,710 Framingham Heart Study participants with available brain MRI (average age 61.4±14.6, 46% men). ePVS burden was rated in the centrum semiovale (CSO) and basal ganglia (BG) regions. Individual vascular risk factors were related to ePVS burden in the CSO, BG, and mixed CSO-BG regions using multivariable adjusted ordinal logistic regression analysis. Results: Severe ePVS prevalence increased with age in men and women, and paralleled increase in vascular risk factors, and prevention treatment use. Older age, hypertension (and resulting higher treatment use), higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and smoking were associated with higher burden of ePVS in the CSO, BG and mixed regions. Conclusions: Our observations reinforce the hypothesis that ePVS may be a marker of aging-driven brain vascular pathologies, and its association with vascular risk factors support their role as CSVD imaging biomarker. Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.204181 Keywords - cerebral small vessel disease, neurological markers, aging, disease marker, perivascular spaces About Aging-US Launched in 2009, Aging-US publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging-US go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways. Please visit our website athttps://www.aging-us.com/​ and connect with us: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/Aging-Us Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/agingus​ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/ Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/ Media Contact 18009220957 MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM