Changes of brain function and cognitive function after carotid artery stenting

To investigate the effect of carotid artery stenting(CAS) on cognitive function and brain function based on changes of a battery of neuropsychological tests and magnetic resonance imaging. Thirty-three patients were included with 17 in the stent-placement group and 16 in the control group (receiving medical treatment), among whom, the unilateral or bilateral severe internal carotid artery stenosis was confirmed by cerebral vascular angiography in the department of Interventional Radiology and Vascular Surgery of Zhongda Hospital Southeast University from June 2015 to September 2016.Neuropsychological tests and rest-state blood oxygenation level dependent fMRI were performed at the baseline and six months follow-up.The baseline characteristics and follow-up changes were compared in each group. The overall cognitive function of the stent-placement group was statistically significantly improved (