Clinical characteristics in subcortical ischemic white matter disease

Vascular white matter lesions (WML) represent one of the main neuroimage findings in individuals older than 65 years and its clinical significance is still partially understood. To describe and analyze the clinical profile of a high severity sample with WML focusing on the frontal executive control. Outpatients (n=20) with high severity WML evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging were selected using the Fazekas scale. Most patients (n=17; 85%) presented an altered Trail Making Test ratio (section B/section A); on verbal fluency, 15 individuals (75%) performed below the cutoff score. Apathy (5.9 +/- 4.65) and depression (3.05+/-3.67) were frequent as assessed by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. The impairment in functional activities strongly correlated with apathy (r=0.814, p