Association of enlarged perivascular spaces with cognitive function in dementia‐free older adults: A population‐based study

Abstract Introduction We sought to characterize cognitive profiles associated with enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) among Chinese older adults. Methods This population‐based study included 1191 dementia‐free participants (age ≥60 years) in the MIND‐China MRI Substudy (2018–2020). We visually evaluated EPVS in basal ganglia (BG) and centrum semiovale (CSO), white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), lacunes, cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), and cortical superficial siderosis. We used a neuropsychological test battery to assess cognitive function. Data were analyzed using general linear models. Results Greater BG‐EPVS load was associated with lower z‐scores in memory, verbal fluency, and global cognition (p 0.05); among apolipoprotein E (APOE) ‐ε4 carriers, greater CSO‐EPVS load was associated with lower verbal fluency z‐score, even when controlling for other CSVD markers (p