our results, at least preliminarily, suggest that neuroimaging
studies may be useful in identifying COPD patients
who are at increased risk of cognitive impairment.
Given the significant clinical implications of this
study, further studies are needed to gain much more
insight into this problem. The application of neuropsychological
tests which is designed for quantifying
specific parameters of certain mental function, such as
visual memory, verbal fluency, and visuospatial deserve
testing in COPD. Meanwhile, some brain regions, such
as the entorhinal cortex, transentorhinal and parahippocampal
gyrus critical for cognitive function need further
explorations.