Analysis of changes in white matter of brain and cognitive disturbances in patients with chronic heart failure and ischemic heart disease

The aim of the article is to study the relation of chronic heart failure, cognitive disturbances and changes in white matter of brain. Material et methods: Cognitive tests, echocardiography, MRI of brain and measurement of NT-proBNP in venous blood have been performed in 57 patients with l-IV functional class of chronic heart failure. Program STATISTICA 7 (methods of nonparametric correlation analysis) has been used to assess the results. Results: It has been established that during the increase of severity of CHF decrease in the thickness of medium-sized peduncles of cerebellum and the changes of coefficients of diffusion of water molecules in white matter have been marked. Conclusions: On the basis of these findings it has been determined that CHF is an independent cause of micromorphological brain damage and later the progressive atrophy of white matter. It clearly shows that the cerebral changes cause cognitive dysfunction.