Cognition mediates the relationship between white matter hyperintensity and motor function in patients with cerebral small vessel disease: a cross-sectional study

White matter hyperintensity (WMH) is a common neuroimaging marker of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) and a critical independent predictor of motor dysfunction, which increases the risk of disability, morbidity, and mortality. However, the mechanism underlying the relationship between WMH and motor function has not yet been fully clarified. It was hypothesized that cognitive impairment mediates the relationship between WMH and motor dysfunction in patients with SVD, which were considered predictor and outcome variables, respectively.