Subcortical vascular mild cognitive impairment (svMCI) is regarded as a common prodromal stage of vascular dementia, and its neuropathological mechanisms are not fully understood. In this issue, Ma et al. investigate the alterations of functional-structural coupling of multiscale brain networks in svMCI. In the cover image, the mosaic silhouette of the human brain with fragments represents an elderly man suffering from svMCI, and its vascular etiology is illustrated by the fatty plaques blocking blood vessels. The streamline and circuit represent structural and functional connectivity in the left and right hemispheres, respectively. The parts highlighted in blue indicate disrupted modular functional-structural coupling therein; this opens new avenues to uncover the pathophysiological mechanisms of svMCI. See pages 287–297. (Cover image provided by Prof. Jing Zhang).