Introduction: Asymptomatic cerebral blood flow disturbances caused by ischemia are common in the general population, particularly in the elderly. They are linked to increased stroke and dementia morbidity and higher mortality rates. Examining patients with asymptomatic disturbances using specialised neuropsychological assessments reveals a discrete cognitive decline.
Objectives: The aim of this paper is to review and summarize current knowledge on the relation between asymptomatic disturbances and cognitive abilities.
Materials and Methods: Literature in PubMed, ResearchGate, and Scopus has been studied and analysed using various combinations of the following keywords: silent cerebrovascular disease, lacunar stroke, brain atrophy, white matter hyperintensities, cerebral microbleeds, cognition, small vessel disease.
Results: The examined literature reveals a definite relation between asymptomatic disturbances caused by ischemia and cognitive abilities in the sample groups. Asymptomatic cerebral infarctions and white matter hyperintensities are prioritised. Executive function deficits and slower information processing are the most common diagnoses after assessment.
Conclusion: Many of the deviations in cognitive abilities in patients with asymptomatic disturbances remain undiagnosed due to their particular nature. They need to be actively sought out through neuropsychological assessments as primary prophylaxis against stroke and dementia.
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