Brain Structure and Function in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

• DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201202-0355oc
• Publication Date: 2012-06-01T05:03:28Z
• Authors: James W. Dodd; Ai Wern Chung; Martin D. van den...; Thomas R. Barrick; Rebecca A. Charlton; Paul W. Jones
• Keywords: Stroke

Brain pathology is a poorly understood systemic manifestation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Imaging techniques using magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting state functional MR (rfMRI) provide measures white matter microstructure gray activation, respectively.We hypothesized that patients with COPD would have reduced integrity communication between resting-state networks be significantly different to control subjects. In addition, we tested whether observed differences related severity, cerebrovascular comorbidity, cognitive dysfunction.DTI rfMRI were acquired in stable nonhypoxemic (n = 25) compared age-matched subjects 25). Demographic, stroke risk, neuropsychologic assessments made.Patients (mean age, 68; FEV(1) 53 ± 21% predicted) had widespread reduction (46% tracts; P < 0.01). Six the seven showed increased activation (P Differences DTI, but not rfMRI, remained significant after controlling for risk smoking 0.05). White seemed account difference performance subjects.In there throughout brain disturbance matter, which may contribute dysfunction. microstructural independent comorbidity. The mechanisms remain unclear, include cerebral small vessel caused by COPD.