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

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 2 = 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 p = 0.03) and MMSE score (p 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 2: 84.5%), while the breath-holding index test results were significant lower (MD: −1.72, 95%CI: −2.53 to −0.91, p 2: 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