Pattern of cognitive changes and content of cerebral neurotrophic factor in patients with chronic cerebral ischemia

Objective. To study the pattern of cognitive changes and the content of cerebral neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the blood serum of patients with chronic cerebral ischemia (CICI). Materials and methods. We examined 128 people who were divided into two groups: the main group – 82 patients (38 men and 44 women) aged 60–74 years with CICI, the control group – 46 people comparable to the patients of the main group by gender and age, but without clinical manifestations of CICM. Cognitive functions were assessed using the Mini-Mental Status Scale (MSMS) and the Battery of Tests for the Assessment of Frontal Dysfunction (FMS). Attention (Schulte test), speech fluency (speech fluency subtest BTLD, verbal association test), memory (memory subtest KSHOPS; 5 words test) and visuospatial functions (clock drawing test) were studied. The content of BDNF in the blood serum of patients was determined by the enzyme immunoassay method. Results. The pattern of cognitive impairment in CIGM was characterized by changes in the domains of executive brain functions and complex attention. The content of BDNF in the blood serum of patients with CICI was significantly lower than that of the control group; in men is lower compared to female patients. Significant correlations were revealed between the severity of cognitive disorders and the level of BDNF in the blood serum.