Thesis
Cognitive and vascular function in women with a history of preeclampsia
University of Iowa
Master of Science (MS), University of Iowa
Spring 2019
DOI: 10.17077/etd.ssst-1hp1
Abstract
<p>Background: Women are more likely to develop age-related cognitive impairment compared with men of the same age. Pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia (PE), and menopause may contribute to an elevated risk of cognitive decline with aging in women potentially through an adverse impact on vascular function. PE is associated with a heightened risk of hypertension and large elastic artery stiffness (i.e., aortic and carotid arteries) for several years postpartum. Persistent large artery stiffness may be further amplified in women with a history of PE during the menopause transition, which is marked by an accelerated rate of vascular aging. However, large artery stiffness has not been studied extensively in postmenopausal women with a history of PE. Age-related elevations in large artery stiffness are associated with cognitive decline in middle-aged and older adults however, this relation has not been investigated in young women with a history of PE. Moreover, the degree to which elevated large artery stiffness is amplified and associated with reduced cognitive function among postmenopausal women with a history of PE remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which large elastic artery stiffness is associated with reductions in cognitive function in premenopausal and postmenopausal women with a history of PE.</p>
<p>Methods: Large elastic artery stiffness and domains of cognitive function were assessed in young women one year postpartum (n=18, ages 24-41 yrs.) and postmenopausal women (n=19, ages 52-77 yrs.) thirty-five years postpartum. Aortic stiffness was measured via non-invasive applanation tonometry at the carotid and femoral pulse sites and expressed as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV). Carotid artery stiffness was quantified as beta-stiffness index (β-stiffness) was measured via ultrasonography and carotid tonometry. Cognitive tests were administered to assess cognitive function in immediate and delayed recall, working memory, processing speed, and executive function.</p>
<p>Results: Premenopausal women with a history of PE had higher systolic blood pressure (121 ± 4 vs. 101 ± 3 mmHg, p =0.01) one year postpartum but did not differ significantly from controls in cfPWV (6.2 ± 0.4 vs. 5.1 ± 0.2 m/s, p =0.08), β-stiffness (6.1 ± 0.5 vs. 6.1 ± 0.7 U, p =0.97), or cognitive domains of memory, executive function, or processing speed (all p>0.05). Higher systolic blood pressure was associated with lower executive function (r = -0.53, p = 0.05) in young women one year postpartum. Postmenopausal women with a history of PE did not differ from controls in blood pressure, large artery stiffness, or age-adjusted cognitive domains of memory, executive function, or processing speed (all p>0.05). Large artery stiffness was not associated with cognitive function in premenopausal or postmenopausal women.</p>
<p>Conclusions: Young women with a history of PE had elevated systolic pressure one year postpartum, which was associated with reductions in executive function. Large artery stiffness was not elevated or related to cognitive function in postmenopausal women with a history of PE. These preliminary findings suggest that young women with a history of PE are susceptible to reductions in selective cognitive domains related to higher blood pressure, but this effect does not appear to extend into the postmenopausal period.</p>
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Cognitive and vascular function in women with a history of preeclampsia
- Creators
- Virginia R. Nuckols - University of Iowa
- Contributors
- Gary L. Pierce (Advisor)Kara Whitaker (Committee Member)David Moser (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (MS), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Integrative Physiology
- Date degree season
- Spring 2019
- DOI
- 10.17077/etd.ssst-1hp1
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- viii, 65 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2019 Virginia R. Nuckols
- Language
- English
- Date submitted
- 11/06/2019
- Description illustrations
- illustrations
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 53-65).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy distinguished by a sudden rise in blood pressure and multi-organ dysfunction during mid to late pregnancy. Preeclampsia has adverse effects on vascular health in women both during and after pregnancy that may be further exacerbated during menopause. Age-related stiffening of the large elastic arteries is detrimental to brain structure and function however, the relation between large artery stiffness and cognition in women who have had preeclampsia is not well understood. The goal of this project is to examine the relation between large artery stiffness and cognitive performance in premenopausal and postmenopausal women who have had preeclampsia.
Both premenopausal women (n=18, ages 24-41 years) and postmenopausal women (n=19, ages 52-77 years), those who had preeclampsia did not have greater arterial stiffness or worsened cognitive performance compared with women who had normal pregnancies. One year after pregnancy, blood pressure was higher in women who had preeclampsia and associated with worse performance on measures of executive function (i.e., control of attention and reasoning) independent of education level. There was no relation between blood pressure, large artery stiffness and cognition in postmenopausal women. Declines in cognitive performance in young women who had preeclampsia may be modulated in part by sustained elevations in blood pressure. Age-related changes in vascular health and cognition may supersede the impact of pregnancy history after menopause. Future study is needed to explore the time course of vascular health and cognition in women who had preeclampsia.
- Academic Unit
- Health, Sport, and Human Physiology
- Record Identifier
- 9983777194602771
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