Association of atherosclerosis with increased atrophy of brain matter in the elderly.

The association of atherosclerosis with brain atrophy was studied in 101 subjects (75 men and 26 women) using computed tomography (CT). A calcification index (CI) was calculated as an indicator of atherosclerosis in the abdominal aorta: the calcified portion along the entire circumference of the abdominal aorta X 80. Both the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space volume and the volume percentage of the CSF space to the cranial cavity [brain atrophy index (BAI)] were calculated as indicators of brain atrophy. The CSF space volume increased with increasing age after the 70s. The BAI increased with increasing age after the 60s. Both the CSF space volume and the BAI in the 70s were 1.8 times those in the 40s. The CI increased with increasing age after the 50s very rapidly, and the CI in the 70s was 54 times that in the 40s. Both the CSF space volume and the BAI were greater in atherosclerotic (CI greater than or equal to 3.0) than in nonatherosclerotic (CI less than 3.0) subjects in the 60s and the 70s.