Cleavage and inactivation of beclin-1 by caspase-3, producing the cleavage product detected by the antibody we used, is a marker for dysfunctional regulation of homeostasis by reduced autophagy and is associated with neurodegeneration [35], consistent with the complementary results of leukoaraiosis and inflammation in our studies. This evidence concerns the gene CASP3 and Abnormal cerebral white matter morphology.