Pattern of and Risk Factors for Brain Microbleeds in Neurodegenerative Dementia

Objective: A cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the prevalence, locations, and risk factors for brain microbleeds (BMBs) in neurodegenerative dementia. Methods: The database of the Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation was searched, BMBs were described, and the potential associations of BMBs were investigated using univariate statistics. Results: A total of 148 patients (age 81.6 [standard deviation 6.7], 79.1% female) were studied. Prevalence of BMBs was 44.6%. A group of patients with unusually high (ie, ≥4) number of BMBs were identified, which displayed higher number of vascular risk factors and vascular diseases. Brain microbleeds were also associated with ischemic lesions in the basal ganglia (r = .39), clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and cerebrovascular disease (r = .33), cortical infarction (r = .20), and antiaggregant or anticoagulant treatment duration (r = .20). Conclusions: Brain microbleeds are associated with vascular burden and AD diagnosis in old patients with neurodegenerative dementia. More research is warranted regarding the mechanisms and potential clinical implications of these results.