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Background and Purpose: White matter hyperintensites (WMHs), lacunes and brain atrophy have been demonstrated to be positively related to gait disorder. However, cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) as a manifestation of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is still under-investigated. Therefore, correlations between CMBs and upper extremity, gait and balance performance were investigated in this study. Methods: A cross-sectional study of middle-aged to older adults was conducted. CSVD burden was measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the location and number of CMBs were analysed. Gait and balance functions were evaluated using a four meter walkway, Tinetti, Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) tests. Upper extremity function was measured by 10 repeated pronation-supination time, 10 repeated finger tapping time, and 10 repeated opening and closings of the hands. Results: A total of 224 participants were included in this study, with a mean age of 60.6 ± 10.5 years. The prevalence of CMB was 34.8% and most was lobar. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that CMB was associated with lower gait velocity, wider stride width, longer TUG test time, and poor performance on Tinetti and SPPB tests independently of other coexisting CSVD markers and risk factors. These relationships appeared to be explained by CMBs in the frontal, temporal, basal ganglia and infratentorial regions. The motor function of upper extremity also had independent correlations with CMBs especially in frontal, parietal, and temporal areas, and in the basal ganglia. Conclusions: CMBs were found to be associated with both gait, balance and upper extremity disturbances. The presence of CMB seems to be another major driving force for CSVD on lower and upper extremity impairment in healthy elderly subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Gait disturbances are common in the elderly and can lead to the loss of functional independence and even death. Enlarged perivascular space (EPVS) andmotor performancemay be related, but only few studies have explored this relationship. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of both the severity and location of EPVS on movement disorders. Method: Two hundred and six participants aged between 45 and 85 years old with complete magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were included in our analysis. EPVS were divided into basal ganglia (BG) and centrum semiovale (CSO), and their grades were measured. Gait was assessed quantitatively using a 4-m walkway and TUG test as well as semi-quantitatively using the Tinetti and SPPB tests. The function of upper extremities was evaluated by 10-repeat pronation-supination, 10-repeat finger-tapping, and 10-repeat opening and closing of the hands. Results: Both high-grade EPVS, whether in BG and CSO, were independently correlated with gait parameters, the TUGtime, Tinetti, and SPPB tests. The EPVS located in BG had a significant association with 10-repeat finger-tapping time (β = 0.231, P = 0.025) and a similar association was also observed between CSO-EPVS and 10-repeat pronation-supination time (β = 0.228, P = 0.014). Conclusion: Our results indicated that EPVS was associated with gait disturbances, and a further investigation found that EPVS has an association with upper extremities disorder. EPVS should be considered as a potential target for delaying gait and upper extremities damage since CSVD can be prevented to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]