Carotid Arterial Stiffness Predicts White Matter Lesion Volume in Older Adults

Markers of arterial wall stiffness are used commonly as indicators of cardiovascular risk. Stiff conduit vasculature transmits pulse waves with increased velocities, which may lead to end‐organ microvascular damage. However, the association of peripheral vascular stiffness to the brain's vulnerability for vascular impairment has not been established. In the brain, this microvascular damage could include breakdown of the blood‐brain barrier …