The mediating effect of white matter hyperintensities on spontaneous brain activity during aging

Abstract

Background: Aging is associated with alterations in brain functional activity observed through resting‐state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rs‐fMRI, Guan et al., 2024). White matter hyperintensities (WMH), indicative of cerebral small vessel disease, are also prevalent in older adults (Hachinski et al., 1987).