Table 5 Association between the structural location of white matter lesion (i.e., subcortical, periventricular, or regional) with two domains of cognitive function (i.e., memory and executive function/processing speed)

Groot et al. et al. [24]

Controlled for subcortical, periventricular WMLs were associated with memory and executive function/processing speed.

Shenkin et al. [25]

Subcortical and periventricular WMLs were not associated with any of the cognitive measurements.

Baune et al. [26]

Subcortical WMLs were associated with memory.

As a subgroup of subcortical WMLs, infarction lesions were associated with executive function/processing speed.

Periventricular WMLs were not associated with any of the cognitive functions.

Kim et al. [27]

Only periventricular WML was significantly correlated with memory and executive function/processing speed, when both the periventricular and subcortical WMLs were entered simultaneously into the regression model.

Silbert et al. [28]

Change in subcortical WMLs (excluding infarction lesions) was associated with memory decline. This association was not true for periventricular WMLs.

McClleland et al. [21]

White matter lesions were associated with executive function/processing speed, in all white matter regions of cerebrum, cerebellum, and basal ganglia.

Wright et al. [29]

Subcortical WMLs (including infarction lesions) were associated with executive function/processing speed, in regions of frontal and deep white matter.

Kaplan et al. [30]

White matter lesions were associated with memory and executive function/processing speed, in frontal regions.

Wakefield et al. [31]

White matter lesions were associated with executive function/processing speed in white matter regions of posterior corona radiata and splenium of corpus callosum.

O’Brien et al. [32]

White matter lesions were associated with speed of memory retrieval and executive function/processing speed.

Smith et al. [14]

White matter lesions were associated with memory and executive function/processing speed. White matter lesions in the following locations were significantly associated with memory: right inferior temporal-occipital, left temporal-occipital periventricular, and right parietal periventricular white matter; and anterior limb of internal capsule. Also, WMLs in the following regions were significantly associated with executive function: the bilateral inferior frontal, temporal-occipital periventricular, right parietal periventricular, and prefrontal white matter; and the anterior limb of the internal capsule bilaterally.

Burns et al. [33]

For non-demented participants, only associate memory was associated with periventricular WMLs. For participants with early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), memory and executive function/processing speed were associated with both periventricular and subcortical WMLs.

Ishii et al. [34]

For CDR=0 group, anterior periventricular WML and a test of executive function/processing speed were significantly correlated.

Tullberg et al. [35]

In non-demented individuals, increased volumes of frontal (specifically prefrontal and dorsolateral), parietal, and occipital WML were separately associated with lower executive function/processing speed scores.

Frontal WMLs were also associated with reduced memory function in non-demented group. No association was found for individuals with dementia.