White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are white matter brain lesions found as areas of increased signals on T2-weighted and FLAIR MRI scans. A large majority of elderly individuals have a certain degree of WMH which may be associated with cognitive decline, decline in physical function and a higher risk of stroke and death. To date, neurobiological mechanisms underlying and predictive of WMH is not fully characterized. In this study, we aim to use a longitudinal design to elucidate hallmarks of brain tissue at baseline that will predict a “conversion” from normal-appearing WM (NAWM) to WMH over a four-year period.
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