Higher blood–brain barrier permeability is associated with higher white matter hyperintensities burden

The pathogenesis of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) is incompletely understood but blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction may play a key role. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between BBB permeability and the severity of WMH burden. Consecutive participants without symptomatic stroke history presented for physical examination were recruited in this cross-sectional study and divided into three WMH burden groups according to total Fazekas scores. They received dynamic contrast-enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging to measure BBB permeability, and received Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). A total of 102 participants aged 49–90 years (mean age of 69.82 years) were enrolled (36 with low WMH burden, 35 with medium WMH burden, and 31 with high WMH burden). Multivariable linear regression analyses revealed that participants with higher WMH burden had significantly higher BBB leakage rate and area under the leakage curve in normal-appearing white matter, WMH, cortical gray matter, and deep gray matter (DGM) after adjustment for age, sex, and vascular risk factors. Scores on MMSE and MoCA decreased with increasing leakage rate in WMH and DGM after adjustment for age, sex, WMH burden, and education years. We found that higher BBB permeability is associated with higher WMH burden and cognitive decline. The compromised BBB integrity may be a critical contributor to the pathogenesis of WMH and part of a series of pathological processes that finally lead to cognitive impairment.