Observational studyAlzheimer's research & therapy2022
Intracranial internal carotid artery calcification is not predictive of future cognitive decline.
Observational study in Alzheimer's research & therapy, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- Intracranial Arterial Calcification on Computed Tomography and Risk of Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Cerebrovascular diseases (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Pooled it
- Severity of Intracranial Arterial Calcification on Computed Tomography and Risk of Dementia in Patients With Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack: A Population-Based Study.Journal of the American Heart Association · 2026Article
- Association between gut microbiota and imaging biomarkers in arteriosclerotic cerebral small vessel disease with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2026Article
- Intracranial stenosis and longitudinal progression of Alzheimer's disease pathologies.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025Article
- The Carotid Siphon as a Pulsatility Modulator for Brain Protection: Role of Arterial Calcification Formation.Journal of personalized medicine · 2025Review
- Arterial calcification in the heart-brain axis and cognitive performance over time.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025Article
- Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease and Incident Dementia: The ARIC Study (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities).Circulation · 2024 · on this mapArticle
- Intracranial arteriosclerosis and the risk of dementia: A population-based cohort study.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2024Article
- Arterial Calcification and Its Association With Stroke: Implication of Risk, Prognosis, Treatment Response, and Prevention.Frontiers in cellular neuroscience · 2022Review
- Intracranial arteriosclerosis is not associated with cerebral amyloid deposition.Alzheimer's & dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands)Article
- Relationship between extracranial carotid artery calcification and amyloid-β deposition in the brain among the very old: A retrospective study.Journal of Alzheimer's disease reportsArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundIntracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) calcification is a common incidental finding in non-contrast head CT. We evaluated the predictive value of ICAC (ICAC) for future risk of cognitive decline and compared the results with conventional imaging biomarkers of dementia.
methodsIn a retrospective observational cohort, we included 230 participants with a PET-CT scan within 18 months of a baseline clinical assessment and longitudinal imaging assessments. Intracranial ICAC was quantified on baseline CT scans using the Agatson calcium score, and the association between baseline ICA calcium scores and the risk of conversion from a CDR of zero in baseline to a persistent CDR > 0 at any follow-up visit, as well as longitudinal changes in cognitive scores, were evaluated through linear and mixed regression models. We also evaluated the association of conventional imaging biomarkers of dementia with longitudinal changes in cognitive scores and a potential indirect effect of ICAC on cognition through these biomarkers.
resultsBaseline ICA calcium score could not distinguish participants who converted to CDR > 0. ICA calcium score was also unable to predict longitudinal changes in cognitive scores, imaging biomarkers of small vessel disease such as white matter hyperintensities (WMH) volume, or AD such as hippocampal volume, AD cortical signature thickness, and amyloid burden. Severity of intracranial ICAC increased with age and in men. Higher WMH volume and amyloid burden as well as lower hippocampal volume and AD cortical signature thickness at baseline predicted lower Mini-Mental State Exam scores at longitudinal follow-up. Baseline ICAC was indirectly associated with longitudinal cognitive decline, fully mediated through WMH volume.
conclusionsIn elderly and preclinical AD populations, atherosclerosis of large intracranial vessels as demonstrated through ICAC is not directly associated with a future risk of cognitive impairment, or progression of imaging biomarkers of AD or small vessel disease.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.