Analysis of neuropsychological characteristics and related influencing factors in patients with vascular cognitive impairment

Abstract

Objectives: To explore neuropsychological characteristics and related influencing factors of patients with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI).

Methodology: Clinical data from two hundred VCI patients admitted to the Fourth Central Hospital of Baoding City between May 2021 and October 2023, along with one hundred healthy controls, were retrospectively analyzed. Diagnosis was established based on recognized clinical criteria. Inter-group comparisons of biochemical indices and neuropsychological scores (MoCA/MMSE) were performed using t-tests and chi-square tests, followed by multivariate logistic regression to identify independent associated factors.

Results: Significant differences were observed in lipids, CRP, Hcy levels, and comorbidities (P < 0.05). VCI patients exhibited characteristic deficits in abstract thinking, visuospatial/executive function, and graphical description (P < 0.05). Logistic regression identified low education, alcohol consumption, diabetes, hypertension, and elevated Hcy as independent associated factors (P < 0.05), which specifically correlated with the observed impairments in executive and visuospatial domains.

Conclusions: Neuropsychological characteristics of VCI patients mainly manifest as impairment of abstract thinking, visual spatial and executive function, graphic description, and language expression ability. Lower education level, alcohol consumption, diabetes, hypertension, and high Hcy levels are all important factors significantly associated with an increased risk of VCI.