The neurovascular unit and its correlation with cognitive performance in patients with cerebral small vessel disease: a canonical correlation analysis approach

Growing evidence indicates an important role of neurovascular unit (NVU) dysfunction in the pathophysiology of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD). Individually measurable functions of the NVU have been correlated with cognitive function, but a combined analysis is lacking. We aimed to perform a unified analysis of NVU function and its relation with cognitive performance. The relationship between NVU function in the white matter and cognitive performance (both latent variables composed of multiple measurable variables) was investigated in 73 patients with cSVD (mean age 70 ± 10 years, 41% women) using canonical correlation analysis. MRI-based NVU function measures included (1) the intravoxel incoherent motion derived perfusion volume fraction (f) and microvascular diffusivity (D*), reflecting cerebral microvascular flow; (2) the IVIM derived intermediate volume fraction (f