Objective:To explore the relationship between the morphology of the carotid siphon, its related risk factors, and cerebral blood flow perfusion in patients with arteriosclerotic cerebral small vessel disease (aCSVD), and provide imaging evidence for the etiology of aCSVD.Methods:A total of 130 aCSVD patients hospitalized in the Department of Neurology of the First People′s Hospital of Hefei from March 2022 to June 2024, all of whom underwent multimodal imaging assessments, were enrolled. The baseline data were collected, and the morphology of the carotid siphon was visually evaluated using post-processing of head and neck computed tomography angiography (CTA), which was categorized into U-type ( n=63), C-type ( n=32), and V-type ( n=35). Calcification degree was semi-quantitatively assessed based on transverse CTA images. Cerebral perfusion was measured using magnetic resonance arterial spin labeling. The relationship between different siphon segment morphologies, calcification degrees, their risk factors, and cerebral blood flow perfusion was analyzed using analysis of variance and multinomial Logistic regression. Results:Univariate analysis of the 3 siphon types showed significant differences in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [U-type (2.44±0.84) mmol/L,V-type (2.21±0.57) mmol/L, C-type (2.89±1.07) mmol/L, F=5.578, P=0.005], calcification degree [Among the 63 cases in the U-type group, 19 cases (30.15%) had mild calcification, 20 cases (31.75%) had moderate calcification, and 24 cases (38.10%) had severe calcification; among the 35 cases in the V-type group, 20 cases (57.14%) had mild calcification, 10 cases (28.57%) had moderate calcification, and 5 cases (14.29%) had severe calcification; among the 32 cases in the C-type group, 12 cases (37.50%) had mild calcification, 14 cases (43.75%) had moderate calcification, and 6 cases (18.75%) had severe calcification; χ2=13.092, P=0.011], and total aCSVD load [modified aCSVD load score: U-type 4.00(1.00, 4.00),V-type 3.00(1.00, 4.00),C-type 2.00(2.00, 4.00), H=9.997, P=0.007]. Multivariate Logistic regression revealed that patients with U-shaped siphons had a significantly higher overall aCSVD load than those with C-shaped siphons, with a regression coefficient of 0.728, and a statistically significant difference ( OR=2.070 ,95% CI 1.026-4.178, P=0.042). Additionally, total brain and white matter cerebral blood flow were decreased in patients with U-type siphons compared to those with C-type and V-type, primarily involving bilateral superior frontal gyri, left orbital frontal gyrus, and left straight gyrus regions (false discovery rate correction, P<0.05). Conclusions:The imaging manifestations of aCSVD are closely related to the shape of the internal carotid artery siphon.The U type siphon is more likely to lead to hemodynamic changes, resulting in decreased global and regional cerebral blood flow, and demonstrating a higher overall burden of aCSVD, which has certain clinical reference value for assessing the etiology of aCSVD.

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a leading cause of stroke and vascular cognitive impairment, with cerebral microbleeds (CMB) recognized as one of its key imaging biomarkers. The pathological mechanisms underlying CMB vary significantly depending on their anatomical location. In recent years, insulin resistance (IR), a hallmark of metabolic syndrome, has emerged as a critical area of research in understanding the pathogenesis of CMB. This review focuses on the following aspects: an overview of the pathophysiological mechanisms of CMB and their location-specific characteristics; a detailed discussion of the definition of IR and its clinical research advancements in relation to CMB; and a comprehensive analysis of the potential pathways through which IR contributes to CMB development, including exacerbation of amyloid-beta pathology, activation of the renin-angiotensin and sympathetic nervous systems, induction of inflammation and oxidative stress, and disruption of the blood-brain barrier. The evidence highlights that IR exerts both specific and shared effects on different types of CMB, offering valuable insights for the early detection, targeted intervention, and holistic management of CSVD.

Objective To analyze the cerebral angiographic characteristics of patients with central retinal artery occlusion(CRAO)and to study their prognosis.Methods A retrospective study was conducted,with 182 CRAO patients enrolled,who were treated at Xuanwu Hospital,Capital Medical University,the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University,the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Anhui Medical University,and the People's Hospital of Shihezi City from January 1,2014,to June 1,2024.All patients underwent cerebral angiography within one month of onset.The baseline characteristics,treatment details,and follow-up data were collected.The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the correlation between the characteristics of the ophthalmic artery and the ipsilateral carotid artery angiography,and Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore factors related to patient prognosis.Results Cerebral angiography results showed that 81.3％of patients had ocular blood supply from the ipsilateral internal carotid artery,12.1％from the ipsilateral external carotid artery,and 6.6％from the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery.Among the patients,80(44.0％)had varying degrees of stenosis or occlusion of the affected ophthalmic artery,with 69 patients(86.3％)showing stenosis at the origin of the ophthalmic artery.Additionally,135 patients(74.2％)had varying degrees of stenosis or occlusion of the ipsilateral carotid artery,with 110 patients(60.4％)showing stenosis at the carotid bulb,88 patients(48.3％)having unilateral carotid lesions,and 41 patients(22.5％)having multiple lesions.Correlation analysis indicated a significant correlation between the degree of stenosis in the ophthalmic artery and the carotid artery(r=0.76,P=0.006).Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses revealed that the time from symptom onset to hospital admission(OR=0.93,95％CI:0.85-0.98,P=0.018),the grading of oxygenation-based hypoperfusion maculopathy(OHM)(OR=3.12,95％CI:1.09-6.34,P=0.005),intravenous thrombolysis(IVT)(OR=2.75,95％CI:1.08-5.35,P=0.031),and the absence of stenosis in the ophthalmic artery(OR=1.33,95％CI:1.02-3.41,P=0.026)were independent predictors of prognosis for CRAO patients.Conclusions The degree of stenosis in the ophthalmic artery is significantly correlated with the degree of stenosis in the carotid artery in CRAO patients.Time from symptom onset to hospital admission,OHM grading,IVT,and the absence of stenosis in the ophthalmic artery are independent factors influencing the prognosis of CRAO patients.

Objective To analyze the cerebral angiographic characteristics of patients with central retinal artery occlusion(CRAO)and to study their prognosis.Methods A retrospective study was conducted,with 182 CRAO patients enrolled,who were treated at Xuanwu Hospital,Capital Medical University,the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University,the Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Anhui Medical University,and the People's Hospital of Shihezi City from January 1,2014,to June 1,2024.All patients underwent cerebral angiography within one month of onset.The baseline characteristics,treatment details,and follow-up data were collected.The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the correlation between the characteristics of the ophthalmic artery and the ipsilateral carotid artery angiography,and Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore factors related to patient prognosis.Results Cerebral angiography results showed that 81.3％of patients had ocular blood supply from the ipsilateral internal carotid artery,12.1％from the ipsilateral external carotid artery,and 6.6％from the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery.Among the patients,80(44.0％)had varying degrees of stenosis or occlusion of the affected ophthalmic artery,with 69 patients(86.3％)showing stenosis at the origin of the ophthalmic artery.Additionally,135 patients(74.2％)had varying degrees of stenosis or occlusion of the ipsilateral carotid artery,with 110 patients(60.4％)showing stenosis at the carotid bulb,88 patients(48.3％)having unilateral carotid lesions,and 41 patients(22.5％)having multiple lesions.Correlation analysis indicated a significant correlation between the degree of stenosis in the ophthalmic artery and the carotid artery(r=0.76,P=0.006).Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses revealed that the time from symptom onset to hospital admission(OR=0.93,95％CI:0.85-0.98,P=0.018),the grading of oxygenation-based hypoperfusion maculopathy(OHM)(OR=3.12,95％CI:1.09-6.34,P=0.005),intravenous thrombolysis(IVT)(OR=2.75,95％CI:1.08-5.35,P=0.031),and the absence of stenosis in the ophthalmic artery(OR=1.33,95％CI:1.02-3.41,P=0.026)were independent predictors of prognosis for CRAO patients.Conclusions The degree of stenosis in the ophthalmic artery is significantly correlated with the degree of stenosis in the carotid artery in CRAO patients.Time from symptom onset to hospital admission,OHM grading,IVT,and the absence of stenosis in the ophthalmic artery are independent factors influencing the prognosis of CRAO patients.

Objective:To explore the relationship between the morphology of the carotid siphon, its related risk factors, and cerebral blood flow perfusion in patients with arteriosclerotic cerebral small vessel disease (aCSVD), and provide imaging evidence for the etiology of aCSVD.Methods:A total of 130 aCSVD patients hospitalized in the Department of Neurology of the First People′s Hospital of Hefei from March 2022 to June 2024, all of whom underwent multimodal imaging assessments, were enrolled. The baseline data were collected, and the morphology of the carotid siphon was visually evaluated using post-processing of head and neck computed tomography angiography (CTA), which was categorized into U-type ( n=63), C-type ( n=32), and V-type ( n=35). Calcification degree was semi-quantitatively assessed based on transverse CTA images. Cerebral perfusion was measured using magnetic resonance arterial spin labeling. The relationship between different siphon segment morphologies, calcification degrees, their risk factors, and cerebral blood flow perfusion was analyzed using analysis of variance and multinomial Logistic regression. Results:Univariate analysis of the 3 siphon types showed significant differences in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [U-type (2.44±0.84) mmol/L,V-type (2.21±0.57) mmol/L, C-type (2.89±1.07) mmol/L, F=5.578, P=0.005], calcification degree [Among the 63 cases in the U-type group, 19 cases (30.15%) had mild calcification, 20 cases (31.75%) had moderate calcification, and 24 cases (38.10%) had severe calcification; among the 35 cases in the V-type group, 20 cases (57.14%) had mild calcification, 10 cases (28.57%) had moderate calcification, and 5 cases (14.29%) had severe calcification; among the 32 cases in the C-type group, 12 cases (37.50%) had mild calcification, 14 cases (43.75%) had moderate calcification, and 6 cases (18.75%) had severe calcification; χ2=13.092, P=0.011], and total aCSVD load [modified aCSVD load score: U-type 4.00(1.00, 4.00),V-type 3.00(1.00, 4.00),C-type 2.00(2.00, 4.00), H=9.997, P=0.007]. Multivariate Logistic regression revealed that patients with U-shaped siphons had a significantly higher overall aCSVD load than those with C-shaped siphons, with a regression coefficient of 0.728, and a statistically significant difference ( OR=2.070 ,95% CI 1.026-4.178, P=0.042). Additionally, total brain and white matter cerebral blood flow were decreased in patients with U-type siphons compared to those with C-type and V-type, primarily involving bilateral superior frontal gyri, left orbital frontal gyrus, and left straight gyrus regions (false discovery rate correction, P<0.05). Conclusions:The imaging manifestations of aCSVD are closely related to the shape of the internal carotid artery siphon.The U type siphon is more likely to lead to hemodynamic changes, resulting in decreased global and regional cerebral blood flow, and demonstrating a higher overall burden of aCSVD, which has certain clinical reference value for assessing the etiology of aCSVD.

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a leading cause of stroke and vascular cognitive impairment, with cerebral microbleeds (CMB) recognized as one of its key imaging biomarkers. The pathological mechanisms underlying CMB vary significantly depending on their anatomical location. In recent years, insulin resistance (IR), a hallmark of metabolic syndrome, has emerged as a critical area of research in understanding the pathogenesis of CMB. This review focuses on the following aspects: an overview of the pathophysiological mechanisms of CMB and their location-specific characteristics; a detailed discussion of the definition of IR and its clinical research advancements in relation to CMB; and a comprehensive analysis of the potential pathways through which IR contributes to CMB development, including exacerbation of amyloid-beta pathology, activation of the renin-angiotensin and sympathetic nervous systems, induction of inflammation and oxidative stress, and disruption of the blood-brain barrier. The evidence highlights that IR exerts both specific and shared effects on different types of CMB, offering valuable insights for the early detection, targeted intervention, and holistic management of CSVD.

Objective To investigate the correlation between the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR)C677T polymorphism and disease in the course of Alzheimer's disease(AD),as well as whether whether it is af-fected by APOE gene.Methods A total of 74 AD patients,85 aMCI patients and 81 healthy controls(HC)were included.The levels of serum homocysteine(Hcy),folate,and vitamin B12,as well as the genotypes of MTHFR C677T and APOE,were determined.Logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and the risk of AD and aMCI,as well as in different APOE ε4 subgroups.Results Compared with HC group,the serum Hcy levels in AD group and aMCI group were significantly higher(P＜0.001,P＜0.001),while serum folate levels in aMCI group was significantly lower(P=0.017).The serum fo-late level was significantly lower(P=0.038)in individuals with the MTHFR TT genotype compared to those with CC and CT genotypes,while the serum Hcy level was significantly higher(P=0.002).Regression analysis showed that the MTHFR TT genotype might increase the risk of aMCI in the subgroup of APOE e4 non-carriers(OR=3.670,95％CI=1.077-12.509,P=0.038),but not in APOE e4 carriers.Conclusion MTHFR C677T polymorphism plays an important role in Hcy metabolism,which leads to increased serum Hcy levels and decreased folate levels.In APOE ε4 non-carriers,the MTHFR TT genotype may increase the risk of aMCI.

The process approach,a set of analytical methods used in neuropsychology,quantifies the word-list learning tests and conventional analytical methods and fully reflects the memory profile of the subject.Therefore,it is widely used in the memory assessment of patients with Alzheimer's disease(AD)and mild cognitive impair-ment(MCI).The common indices of process approach,such as learning slope,semantic clustering,serial position effects,discriminability,and response bias,are key components of memory assessment.This article re-views the application of common indices of process approach in memory assessment of AD and MCI patients and discusses the shortcomings and future research directions of process approach.

Objective:To investigate the concern about pollen broadcasting in Chinese population from multiple dimensions and to understand the information about allergic rhinitis (AR) in China by analyzing related factors.Methods:From March 1 to September 30, 2022, a large-scale multi-center cross-sectional survey was conducted based on the Questionnaire Star platform in 21 Chinese hospitals. A total of 7 056 subjects from 7 regions in China: Northeast, North, East, Central, South, Southwest, and Northwest China were included. Basic characteristics (including social demographic characteristics and disease characteristics of AR patients), concern about pollen broadcasting, the willingness of pollen-induced AR (PiAR) patients to receive pollen broadcasting, and the treatment satisfaction rate of AR patients were collected. The chi-square test, multivariate linear regression model, and Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the concern about pollen broadcasting in the Chinese population and related factors from multiple dimensions.Results:Among 7 056 subjects, 23.02% were concerned about pollen broadcasting. Among 3 176 self-reported AR and 1 019 PiAR patients, 25.60% and 39.16% were concerned about pollen broadcasting, respectively, which was higher than that of non-AR or non-PiAR subjects ( χ2 value was 21.74 and 175.11, respectively, both P<0.001). Among AR patients, the proportion of spring and autumn allergen-positive patients concerned about pollen broadcasting was higher than that in perennial allergen-positive patients ( χ2 value was 20.90 and 19.51, respectively, both P<0.001). The proportion of AR patients with asthma, sinusitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases was higher than those without complications ( χ2 value was 50.83, 21.97, 56.78, 7.62, respectively, all P<0.05). The proportion of AR patients in North China who could find pollen broadcasting locally was 31.01%, significantly higher than those in other regions (all P<0.05). Multivariate linear regression model analysis showed that among PiAR patients, those with higher per capita household income and higher AR disease cognition levels had been concerned about pollen broadcasting in the past, and those complicated with allergic conjunctivitis had stronger intention to receive pollen broadcasting (B value was 0.24, 0.13, 0.66, 0.47, respectively, all P<0.05). The higher the disease cognition level of PiAR patients, the stronger their willingness to actively participate in treatment ( R2=0.72, P<0.001). Only 18.89% of AR patients felt satisfied with the treatment effect. Logistic regression analysis showed that in AR patients, the treatment satisfaction rate was significantly higher among those concerned about pollen broadcasting compared to those who were not ( OR=1.83, P<0.001). Conclusions:Currently, the dissemination of pollen broadcasting in China is hindered by various factors such as disease cognition level. The treatment satisfaction among AR patients remains unsatisfactory.

Objective:To investigate the effect of homocysteine (Hcy) on cerebral perfusion and cognitive function in patients with arteriosclerotic cerebral small vessel disease (aCSVD).Methods:A total of 117 patients with aCSVD who visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from June 2020 to September 2022 were enrolled and divided into the aCSVD cognitive impairment group (aCSVD-CI, n=57) and aCSVD non-cognitive impairment group (aCSVD-NCI, n=60) according to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score. Serum Hcy measurement, cognitive function assessment, and three-dimensional pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling perfusion imaging scan were performed in all patients, and multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to explore risk factors for cognitive impairment in patients with aCSVD. The cerebral blood flow and perfusion differential brain regions of the whole brain, grey matter, and white matter were compared between the two groups. Partial correlation analyses were performed between the serum Hcy, overall cognitive function scores and cerebral blood flow in grey matter, as well as between the cerebral blood flow in the perfusion differential brain area and cognitive function scores. The mediating effect model was used to analyze the role of grey matter blood flow in the relationship between serum Hcy and overall cognition. Results:The serum Hcy level in the CSVD-CI group was higher than that in the CSVD-NCI group [16.38(14.02, 18.58) μmol/L vs 14.40 (11.93, 15.73) μmol/L, Z=-3.81, P<0.001]. In terms of cerebral perfusion, compared with the aCSVD-NCI group, the aCSVD-CI group had significantly lower cerebral blood flow in grey matter ( Z=-3.22, P=0.001), left middle frontal gyrus ( t=-4.91, P<0.05), right middle frontal gyrus ( t=-5.14, P<0.05), and right orbital medial frontal lobe ( t=-4.38, P<0.05). In contrast, the left hippocampus ( t=4.58, P<0.05) had increased cerebral blood flow. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that serum Hcy level was independent risk factor for cognitive impairment in aCSVD after controlling for multiple risk factors. Partial correlation analysis showed that left middle frontal gyrus blood flow ( r=-0.39, P=0.006), right middle frontal gyrus blood flow ( r=-0.44, P=0.002), and right orbital medial frontal lobe cerebral blood flow ( r=-0.43, P=0.002) were negatively correlated with the Stroop Color Word Test-C results. Left hippocampal cerebral blood flow was negatively correlated with Auditory Word Learning Test-long-delayed recall ( r=-0.43, P=0.002). Further mediation analysis showed that the effect of Hcy on cognitive function was partly mediated by grey matter cerebral blood flow (indirect effect=-0.11, P<0.001). Conclusion:Hcy is an independent risk factor for cognitive impairment in aCSVD, and part of the effect of elevated Hcy on cognitive impairment in aCSVD may be mediated by decreased gray matter cerebral perfusion.