The Pattern of Cognitive Performance in CADASIL: A Monogenic Condition Leading to Subcortical Ischemic Vascular Dementia

Abstract

The findings highlight processing speed as the most substantial area of cognitive impairment in CADASIL subjects, with less pronounced yet significant deficits in other aspects of executive performance and attention. This profile of cognitive impairment is present at an early stage and enables the construction of targeted test batteries for clinical trials. It is hypothesized that the profile of dysfunction described here represents the core of the cognitive syndrome associated with small vessel disease and subcortical ischemic vascular lesions.