Cognitive correlates of cerebral white matter changes

The introduction of computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revealed unexpected cerebral findings of unknown consequences. Changes in the white matter of the brain appear in both normal and cognitively impaired elderly individuals and are common in demented patients. White matter changes are known under a variety of synonyms. On MRI they are also termed white matter lesions, hyperintensities, foci, findings or unidentified bright objects and on CT white matter lucencies or leukoaraiosis.