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Review
. 2024 May 4;9(3):58.
doi: 10.3390/geriatrics9030058.

Cerebral Blood Flow in Alzheimer's Disease: A Meta-Analysis on Transcranial Doppler Investigations

Marco Zuin  1 , Alessandro De Vito  2 , Tommaso Romagnoli  1 , Michele Polastri  1 , Eleonora Capatti  1 , Cristiano Azzini  1 , Gloria Brombo  1 , Giovanni Zuliani  1
Affiliations
Review

Cerebral Blood Flow in Alzheimer's Disease: A Meta-Analysis on Transcranial Doppler Investigations

Marco Zuin et al. Geriatrics (Basel). .

Abstract

Background: Cerebrovascular hemodynamic impairment has been reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) in AD patients.

Methods: Data were obtained by searching MEDLINE and Scopus for all investigations published between 1 January 2011 and 1 November 2021, comparing the cerebrovascular hemodynamic between AD patients and cognately healthy age-matched controls, using transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound.

Results: Twelve studies, based on 685 patients [395 with AD and 290 age-matched cognitively healthy controls, with a mean age of 71.5 and 72.1 years, respectively] were included in the analysis. A random effect model revealed that AD patients, in the proximal segments of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), have a significantly lower CBF velocity, compared to controls (MD: -7.80 cm/s, 95%CI: -10.78 to -5.13, p < 0.0001, I2 = 71.0%). Due to a significant Egger's test (t = 3.12, p = 0.008), a trim-and-fill analysis was performed, confirming the difference (MD: -11.05 cm/s, 95%CI: -12.28 to -9.82, p < 0.0001). Meta-regression analysis demonstrated that the mean CBF at the proximal MCA was directly correlated with arterial hypertension (p = 0.03) and MMSE score (p < 0.001), but inversely correlated with age (p = 0.01). In AD patients, the pulsatility index was significantly higher compared to controls (MD: 0.16, 95%CI: 0.07 to 0.25, p < 0.0001, I2: 84.5%), while the breath-holding index test results were significant lower (MD: -1.72, 95%CI: -2.53 to -0.91, p < 0.001, I2: 85.4%).

Conclusions: AD patients have a significant impairment in relation to their cerebrovascular perfusion, suggesting that cerebrovascular hemodynamic deterioration, evaluated using TCD, may be a useful diagnostic tool.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s Disease; cerebral flow; transcranial Doppler.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flow chart.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot investigating the mean difference of mean cerebral blood flow (cm/s) evaluated using transcranial Doppler ultrasound at the proximal middle cerebral artery among patients with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitively healthy age-matched controls.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plot investigating the mean difference of pulsatility index among patients with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitively healthy age-matched controls.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Forest plot investigating the mean difference of breath holding index tests among patients with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitively healthy age-matched controls.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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