Fig 2: Clinical expression of plasma MIF. (A) Differences in plasma levels of MIF among the HC, CSVD-CI, and CSVD-CN groups. Bonferroni correction for the post hoc test. ***P value < 0.001; **0.001 ≤ p value < 0.01; *0.01 ≤ p value < 0.05. (B) Correlations of plasma MIF with global cognitive associations (MMSE and MoCA scales) in CSVD-CI patients. (C) Correlations of plasma MIF with three plasma makers (MMP-9, NSE, and S100β) in CSVD-CI patients. (D) Correlations of plasma MIF with three plasma makers (MMP-9, NSE, and S100β) in CSVD-CN patients. Age, sex, and education years as covariates were controlled in each correlation analysis. Abbreviations: MIF, macrophage migration inhibitory factor; HC, healthy control; CSVD-CI, cerebral small vessel disease with cognitive impairment; CSVD-CN, cerebral small vessel disease with cognitively normal; MMSE, Mini-mental State Examination; MoCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment; MMP-9, matrix metalloproteinase-9; NSE, neuron-specific enolase; and S100β, S100beta protein.