Journal Article

FZJ-2024-03634

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Mapping the interplay of atrial fibrillation, brain structure, and cognitive dysfunction

Petersen, M. (Corresponding author) ; Chevalier, C. ; Naegele, F. L. ; Ingwersen, T. ; Omidvarnia, A.FZJ* ; Hoffstaedter, F.FZJ* ; Patil, K.FZJ* ; Eickhoff, S. B.FZJ* ; Schnabel, R. B. ; Kirchhof, P. ; Schlemm, E. ; Cheng, B. ; Thomalla, G. ; Jensen, M.

2024
Wiley Hoboken, NJ

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1002/alz.13870  doi:10.34734/FZJ-2024-03634

Abstract: Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with an elevated risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. Understanding the cognitive sequelae and brain structural changes associated with AF is vital for addressing ensuing health care needs.Methods and results: We examined 1335 stroke-free individuals with AF and 2683 matched controls using neuropsychological assessments and multimodal neuroimaging. The analysis revealed that individuals with AF exhibited deficits in executive function, processing speed, and reasoning, accompanied by reduced cortical thickness, elevated extracellular free-water content, and widespread white matter abnormalities, indicative of small vessel pathology. Notably, brain structural differences statistically mediated the relationship between AF and cognitive performance.Discussion: Integrating a comprehensive analysis approach with extensive clinical and magnetic resonance imaging data, our study highlights small vessel pathology as a possible unifying link among AF, cognitive decline, and abnormal brain structure. These insights can inform diagnostic approaches and motivate the ongoing implementation of effective therapeutic strategies. Highlights We investigated neuropsychological and multimodal neuroimaging data of 1335 individuals with atrial fibrillation (AF) and 2683 matched controls. Our analysis revealed AF-associated deficits in cognitive domains of attention, executive function, processing speed, and reasoning. Cognitive deficits in the AF group were accompanied by structural brain alterations including reduced cortical thickness and gray matter volume, alongside increased extracellular free-water content as well as widespread differences of white matter integrity. Structural brain changes statistically mediated the link between AF and cognitive performance, emphasizing the potential of structural imaging markers as a diagnostic tool in AF-related cognitive decline.Keywords: atrial fibrillation; diffusion magnetic resonance imaging; neuroimaging; neuropsychological assessment; structural magnetic resonance imaging

Note: This work was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) – Sonderforschungsbereich 936 – [grant number 178316478] – C2 (B.C., G.T.) and DFG Schwerpunktprogramm 2041 – [grant number 454012190] (S.B.E, G.T.).

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Gehirn & Verhalten (INM-7)

Research Program(s):

1. 5252 - Brain Dysfunction and Plasticity (POF4-525) (POF4-525)

Appears in the scientific report 2024

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Database coverage:
; ; ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Clinical Medicine ; DEAL Wiley ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 10 ; JCR ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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