Relationship between cognitive performance and location and number of infarcts

Objective To explore the relationship between the impairment cognitive function and the location and number of infarcts. Methods The composites the scores for memory, processing speed and executive function were detected using the neuropsychological measuring scales and determined the cortical, subcortical and cerebral infarcts by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI), then analyzed the relationship between the impairment cognitive function and the location and number of infarcts. Results Compared to the control group, the patients with infarcts in multiple locations had poorer memory(the score of AVLT-5 was 6.14±1.89 and 7.26±1.82, respectively, P<0.01). Compared to the patients without infarcts, a combination of cortical and subcortical infarcts was associated with slow processing speed. The patients with multiple infarcts in multiple locations had significantly lower composites scores for memory(the score of LMT-delay was 10.86±3.48 and 12.69±2.60, respectively, P<0.01), processing speed (the score of SDMT was 27.08±11.13 and 34.23±7.44, respectively, P<0.01) and executive function(the score of TMT-B was 1.34±0.65 and 0.40±0.35, respectively, P<0.01) compared to control group. Conclusion The multiple infarcts in multiple locations is associated with the impairment cognitive function in patients with cerebral infarcts.Suggesting that both the location and the number of infarcts jointly contribute to cognition impairment. Key words: Cerebral infarcts; Magnetic resonance imaging; Cognitive function