Scheltens rating scores of white matter are predictive of language function among older adults with dementia

ObjectiveExamine the correlation between a visual rating of white matter integrity and common measures of language function in older adults from the Cache County Memory Study (CCMS) legacy data.MethodsScheltens Ratings scores of white matter were calculated on MRI data of older adults from the CCMS cohort. A total score was used as a marker of overall white matter burden. This was used as a predictor variable of language function in a sample of 22 controls and 393 with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (ADRD). This included both pair-wise correlations and bivariate linear regression analysis. A post-hoc t-test analysis compared the upper and lower quartiles of the Scheltens Total for performance on language function tests.ResultsThere were no meaningful associations between white matter integrity and language function for control participants. For the ADRD group, there were significant but small correlations. The post-hoc analysis suggested that greater white matter burden is associated with lower language function in those with ADRD.ConclusionThe findings provide continued support for the clinical utility of visual ratings in the assessment of cognitive function among older adults with dementia - white matter burden relates to greater impairments in performance on language test findings.